If you love board games and are looking for a momentary escape from the stresses of medicine or pharmacy school, the Checkered Whales may be the club you’ve been searching for. This recreational/social club meets every month or two in the NEW Center. Its goal is simple: to bring students together to enjoy games and each other’s company.
Gatherings of the Checkered Whales feature classic games like Monopoly and others suitable for large groups. The organization encourages all sorts of game play not involving electricity and electronics, whether that’s card games or traditional board games. For those looking to release their stress through a bit of friendly competition, the club features chess and checker tournaments.
Co-founder John Graff (M2) and friends founded the organization because they saw the need for another recreational club on campus. They wanted students to have a way to build friendships while having fun.
“I think students should join because it really is important to find fun and relaxing activities while in professional/graduate school. People can very easily get lost in books or worrying about the future and forget that fun and socializing are actually deep-seated human needs,” says Graff.
The sense of community provided by the club may be just what the doctor (or the doctor-in-training) ordered.
Anyone looking for more information about the Checkered Whales can contact Graff at jgraff1@neomed.edu or visit the Checkered Whales Presence page.
--Gabrielle Biltz is a senior at Bio-Med Science Academy and an intern in the NEOMED Office of Public Relations and Marketing.