Friday morning is a time when few students come to campus. But the same cannot be said for Room 305 in the University Student Union.
At that time, the Student of Life Organization, or SOLO, holds its weekly meetings, where students can come together to discuss life issues.
Co-founders Rodney “Deuce” Bowles, a senior finance major, and Emeka “Ify” Bah, a senior international business major, created the club as a way to get students to stop and think about the world around them.
“This club was created for people who have a natural curiosity for life,” Bowles said. “We [also] wanted to reach out to people who take their life and opinions too seriously.”
Described by Bah as a “positive ‘Fight Club,’ ” he said club members are encouraged to “leave their egos at the door.”
“We are fighting society and ego with every meeting,” Bah said. “We wanted to create a club we enjoy. This place isn’t that serious.”
Each meeting begins with a showcase of student talent ranging from magic shows to the sharing of international foods. Club meetings in the past have involved musical performances and even a Polynesian dance routine.
After these showcases, meetings wind down with lectures and discussions, featuring Cal State Long Beach professors, about interpersonal matters.
“We pick our professors based on their ‘world perspective,’ and their call to action on how to fix it,” Bowles said.
A previously showcased speaker, psychology professor Dustin Thoman, discussed the theory of snap judgments and how everything a person experiences influences their pre-conscious thought.
“Cultural knowledge influences what we see and how we see it,” Thoman said.
Thoman said SOLO members were able to grasp the concepts he teaches better than students in his own classes.
“I don’t get to these topics right away in my regular classes. I usually have to prepare them for it,” Thoman said. “With a group of students like this, they are already open to it.”
Students who frequent the club meetings enjoy the open environment, where they can experience the knowledge of professors outside the classroom.
Komron Azizi, a senior marketing major, said he appreciates the chance to share his thoughts with other students.
“I’m really happy Deuce and Ify created this club,” Azizi said. “It’s great to be able to get a different perspective, and experience what other people are thinking. I also like the diversity. All kinds of backgrounds are represented.”
One student noted outlook-changing experiences from being part of the club.
“There is a very interesting variety of speakers and performers,” said Leroy Matthews, a sophomore graphic design major. “I’ve been coming for the past few weeks. The meetings have changed my outlook on life and helped me reflect on my priorities.”
Bowles and Bah plan to invite a professor from each department on campus to speak at the weekly meetings. They hope the club will be able to unify the campus by creating a larger sense of community.
“We are all looking at the same Earth,” Bowles said. “It’s all the same ideas that unify us and the same conclusions that help people understand themselves and the world.”
Bah agreed that the club’s main purpose is to show students that there is meaning in life past focusing solely on egocentric issues.
“We are all visitors in this world. We might as well make the most of it,” Bah said.
SOLO meets every Friday at 11 a.m. in USU Room 305. Visit www.solominds.net for more information. This week’s meeting will be in the College of Business Administration building, Room 114.
interesting story Kendra!