By Ruchama Benhamou, Features Editor
Each month, the YU Observer aims to highlight one club available to the YU undergraduate community. For the December issue, the YU Observer is highlighting the Skiing and Snowboarding Club.
Club Name: Skiing and Snowboarding Club
Heads: Eli Saperstein, David Price, Nina Yurovsky, Leeor Savin
Relevant Campus(es): Beren, Wilf
What is your club’s mission statement?:
To provide as many ski trips, events, and experiences that we can for as many students as possible.
Why is this club important?
YU is a place for people to get “the college experience” and do things that students who come from around the world from various (financial) backgrounds might not have had the opportunity to ski otherwise. This club is a tool to give the student body access to an expensive and exclusive New York experience along with the ability to unite, bond, and build a community over a fun winter sport.
What was your pull to start the club?
Skiing is an expensive sport. With the help of YU’s resources, we could make skiing accessible for everyone. As an experienced skier, I was familiar with the group sales and discounts that are a part of the financial model for ski resorts and wanted to be able to have access to those discounts. In addition, transportation is difficult and becomes cheaper when you go with a group as opposed to getting yourself there.
For many, the issue with going skiing is a financial one. This club is an opportunity to help everyone in YU participate in the sport I know and love, giving those who might not be familiar, access to the potential savings that going as a (student) group might have.
Another thing is that in my experience, while the cost is difficult even for those who can go, one of the barriers is not having people to go with. The hope I have is that students will be able to use our chat to arrange ski trips for themselves and build a chevra (community) by going with others, united by their common interest in skiing (not snowboarding) over winter breaks, the weekend, or during night seder.
Our club will be a forum where people can share the skiing related deals they see, whether it’s a cheap lift ticket on Groupon to a beautiful set of skis on Ebay.
What are some things your club is planning on doing?
We are excited to be planning a ski trip (the first of many!) for the coming semester tentatively put for January 30, 2022 right after the midwinter break, so save the date! We are also hoping to be able to make YU related skiing/winter swag as well as running the annual YU snow tubing trip. Most importantly is of course making memes about the plight of skiers who have to deal with their snowboard “friends.”
What are some plans you have for this semester/future semesters?
We are looking to organize a huge ski trip to Vermont or Colorado, and maybe have a shabbaton (snowboarders will be allowed). In addition to our ski trips and swag.
What is your favorite OSL-provided food for club events?
Snow-Cones and Ben & Jerry’s
How is your club adapting to being back on campus?
We are a new club and excited to provide off campus events to help students ski in a post-Covid global warmed climate/environment.
What is your advice to someone looking to get involved on campus?
Talk to Baruch Lerman, write articles for the newspapers (contact the YU Observer @symarcus@mail.yu.edu) when people hear they will come over to “argue,” attend club events, stay after class to “talk” (argue) with students you disagreed with during class. But to all my fellow introverts, remember that it is the extroverts who need to learn to be less. Less is more. Be friends with who you want, make niche group chats and go shopping with other introverts. If that fails, get adopted by your local orthodox extrovert (see beginning of answer).
Anything else to say about your club:
Join our Whatsapp chat: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FtDjYz4jZSBJmBf97RlacB for updates!
Are you a YU undergraduate club head interested in seeing your club featured in a future edition? Email us at theyuobserver@gmail.com with your club name and the names of the club heads!