FIT Club Spotlight: Hula Hoop Club!

A big part of the college experience is getting yourself involved on campus. Whether that be in sports teams, fundraisers, school clubs – you name it, it’s a good idea! Personally, over the past two and a half years at FIT I’ve been involved in the FIT Dance Team, FIT Skyliners Acapella Group and of course, the FIT Admissions Blog! Each activity was a great way for me to do what I enjoy, meet new people and feel connected to my school.

There is a club for anyone and everyone here, which is wonderful. Ranging from the ANIME club, to the French Language and Culture Club, to Media Design Club and to W27, the on campus newspaper. Can’t find a club for you? Well, if that’s the case you can actually create your own club! It’s hard work but it can definitely pay off. Just ask my friend, Amanda Gedney!

Amanda Gedney is a 20 year old AMC major (like myself) who was the pioneer and creator of the Hula Hoop Club here at FIT! Now the club holds events and bake sales, has many members and is gaining more every week! Let’s see what she had to say about her club!

BC: When did you start hula hooping?

AG: I started hula hooping about 2 years ago. Winter break of my freshman year of college my sister and I bought hula hoops from Toys R Us for something to do as an ab workout while binge watching Netflix. Then we started to look up YouTube videos and attempted the first trick “the lasso.” With many attempts and flying hoops throughout my living room, I realized how fulfilling hooping was.

That spring my two friends who go to Binghamton University joined the hula hoop club there. Once the summer started I begged my friend Taylor to each me everything she knew. She also made me my first beginner hula hoop, 38 inches (the wider the hula hoop the easier it is to use.  We played and practiced on the beach that summer and I was able to hoop at the first music festival I went to called Camp Bisco!

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BC: How did you think to start the hula hoop club at FIT?

AG: I thought to start the club at FIT because of the club at Binghamton. I thought it was so cool how my friends had the opportunity to be apart of a group of hoopers. It’s the best way to learn new tricks and understand each other’s “flow.” Flow meaning the individual rhythm each person puts into their hula hooping. I also wanted to find hoop space for the winter. In the city it’s easy to hoop in a park when it is nice out, but in the winter it’s impossible. Through the club I wanted the opportunity to have indoor rehearsal space. I also wanted to find fellow hoopers at FIT because hoop friends are the best friends.

BC: What steps did you take to create the hoop club?

AG: First off, it was a lot of work to start the hoop club. You have to attend multiple meetings with the student government to pitch your idea. You also have to create a club constitution and prove that you have ten members interested. The last step was getting the student body’s approval at the student council meeting. I’ll always remember that day. I had to stand on the stage at the Katie Murphy theater and convince the 75 people there as to why FIT needed a hoop club. It worked though! 

BC: What types of things do you do in the hoop club?

AG: We meet every Tuesday from 1-2. It is very casual and is a great stress reliever in between classes. We also go to concerts together and hoop in parks during the weekend. We’re not just a club; we’re a little hoop family always welcoming new friends! Everyone is at different stages in their hooping skills and it’s so great to learn tricks from each other. Every hooper knows that amazing feeling when you finally learn that new trick. This semester we’ve been learning new flow arts from new members! We’ve had some male hoopers, which are always welcome!

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BC:  Do you recommend FIT students to join a club?

AG: absolutely recommend students to join a club at FIT. Especially at FIT you have to go out of your way to be involved and I recommend every student to do so. In high school I was the President of my class and on many sports teams. Coming to FIT I wasn’t sure how to get involved. I went to the club fair my first semester and saw that there was a marketing club. Being an AMC major I figured that was the club to be in. I was very dedicated to the AMA Marketing Club and I became President the year after, which I still am currently. I knew that I also needed something fitness related and a great stress reliever, hence the Hula Hoop Club. 

My advice to new students is to get involved! It’s the best way to meet new people and find those with similar interests. My second set of advice is if something that you want isn’t available then start your own! My philosophy is if you don’t let anyone tell you no, you’ll soon realize how much you can accomplish. 

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Thank you SO much Amanda for answering my questions and informing the readers on clubs here at FIT!! You definitely are the perfect example of getting yourself involved on campus, while remaining a successful student.  You might have just recruited a few more hoopers…myself included 🙂

Have a great weekend everyone!

xx, Brendan

 

 

 

 

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