MONDAY, APRIL 24, 1999

Clubs serve as stress outlets

By Tyler Hemstreet

On-line Forty-Niner

With all the pressures college students face in today's world, it can help to have an outlet. One way to rid the stress of college life is getting involved in a campus club.

There are more than 100 registered clubs at Cal State Long Beach, according to the Student Life and Development Office. Several different types are available, including special interest, recreational, sports, political, social action, cultural and religious. The Associated Students Inc. was instrumental in helping to get clubs started when the CSULB first opened. The organizations wanted to give students a chance to get involved.

The special interest clubs range from the very liberal Hemp Club to the Ptahhotep Grand Nubians and Queens of Imani, whose purpose is the development of leadership skills for black students while practicing African traditions.

The sports clubs offer a large range of organized athletics such as fencing, water skiing and rugby.

The ethnic diversity of CSULB is represented by more than 30 cultural clubs.

Students are also given a chance to explore their spirituality with more than 25 spiritual clubs.

The clubs not only serve a recreational purpose.

"The most popular clubs are the academic organizations," said Dr. Jeane Caveness, senior director of Student Life and Development. "By joining these organizations, students get the opportunity get in tune with the job market. The clubs give the students the chance to interact with faculty, alumni, and to get in touch with their career plans."