Have you been interested in why we act the way we do? Have you ever wanted to fight the mental health stigma? Have you ever wanted to learn more about the intricacies of the brain and how humans interact with each other? Psychology Club provides students with ways where they can learn about all of these things as well as providing fun and leisurely activites for students to relax, ultimately providing a safe space for students across campus.
Started in 2020, Psychology Club offers a warm and welcoming environment to all who want to join. Whether they’re interested in psychology, whether they want to learn about the intricacies of the human mind,
This year, the officer board consists of president Angela Gao (12), vice presidents Naomi Meehan (12) and Liz Torres (12), treasurer Reese Chen (12), secretary Eunsang Lee (11), and UCC Representative Zachary Chang (12). The club is advised by Ms. Christy Koenig, one of Ayala’s AP Psychology and AVID teachers.
Having this club combined with the several psychology classes on campus helps aid students in the depths of the subject, educating them on the complexities of the brain and aid them with tools to fight the harmful stigmas about mental health.
“I’ve always been interested in understanding human behavior and how the mind works,” Naomi Meehan (12) said. “So joining the psychology club felt like a great way to explore those interests with others who share them.”
Their meetings run every Wednesday during lunch in H114 and Psychology Club provides club members with 30 minutes of community service hours for each meeting.
Psych Club’s meetings host a various of different activities for students to enjoy. From hosting guest speakers to talk about different areas in psychology that are related to what students deal with, to organizing mental health awareness events and activities, to even setting up volunteer opportunities related to psychology and mental wellness, Psychology Club provides a myriad of ways students can get involved in the subject and learn about the little things that psychology shows about the world.
This year especially, Psychology has made a bigger impact around campus, as the officer board has made it more of an upfront goal to include more students and being more interactive. Many of their meetings include several fun yet educational activities that students had the chance to hang out with friends, de-stress, as well as learn about the benefits and effects that come with these activities.
“There were a lot of interactive activities this year where the kids really got to get hands on with some fun psychology activities,” Koenig said. “For example, in the beginning of the year, there was an activity that included shaving cream, which was both fun and educational for the students.”
The best and sometimes most effective way for students to learn is to be interactive, and Psychology Club, with its multitude of interactive activities and interactive guest speakers have really amped up the hype for Psychology Club, showing just how informative it can be.
Not only is it fun for just the club members and club officers, but the memories that are made through these club meetings are memories that they will store for a long while.
“My favorite memory is seeing sometimes my students, outside being a student, in a leadership role and taking charge,” Koenig said. “That they can be leading a group of kids on topics that we learn about in class and just expanding on them.”
Psychology is a great benefit for not only yourself, but to those around you, to change your worldview and perspective into something much broader, something that can change the world.
“With Psych Club, I realized that I am not alone in this world and that there are always people out there who want to help and support you in any way possible,” Zachary Chang (12) said.
