During the first semester of my freshman year at TU, the COVID-19 pandemic had cancelled many social events and clubs. I had difficulty meeting people at first. There were some online events with the other students on my floor of John Mabee Hall, however not many people showed up. Luckily, one day I passed by Club Mabee in the basement of the John while doing laundry.
In the club were a few guys I recognized. I walked in and talked to them; they were also freshmen living in the John. They said that they came down to Club Mabee often to hangout. In the following months I joined them in Club Mabee, and we all became good friends. We watched many TU football games down there. When the post-season for the NBA was on, we watched and cheered as the Oklahoma City Thunder played the Houston Rockets.
Most of the time we just watched sports games or movies in Club Mabee. Sometimes we even just went there to do homework with each other. I spent many nights in Club Mabee with these guys and I’m glad I had found a group of people I could hang out with at the John. Without them I would have been much more bored and socially isolated sitting in my dorm. This group of guys helped me stay positive in a difficult first semester of college.To this day I still talk to some of them and enjoyed talking to them when I run into them on campus.