U of G’s on-campus multifandom fan base
The Fantasy, Literature, Anime, Sci-fi, and Horror (FLASH) club is a student-run organization that welcomes fanatics from a variety of fandoms and all walks of life. It operates a number of events throughout the school year, including a recently hosted series of costume-making workshops and weekly organized showings of an assortment of movies and TV shows—the likes of which can range from high fantasy films like The Lord of the Rings, comic-based Marvel and DC movies, animated works from Japan, and an array of horror flicks.
U of G student and current FLASH club president Adam Kozak explained over email that the FLASH club “is generally concerned with all forms of fiction and fandom, so the name of the club accurately expresses our inclusion of a wide variety of topics and interest into the content of our club.”
Kozak describes the club as “a platform for members to chat about their specific interests with like-minded people while also allowing students to build a strong circle of very trustworthy friends.”
While the FLASH club’s name is eponymous with its areas of interest, Kozak also points out that the name alone is not an entirely sufficient description for the club.
He explains that, “It doesn’t quite capture, for lack of a better word, the spirit of the club [which] is very strongly founded in social interaction and discussion.”
Originally founded several years ago by a close-knit group of students, the club began as a way of keeping in touch with one another, and has substantially grown in size since its inception. Following the club’s official accreditation through the CSA, the members of the FLASH club were allowed regular access to one of the University Centre’s many rooms. This provided members with an important on-campus space where they could meet up and carry out club related activities.
“The club room is a very central point of the club,” Kozak explained. “It is a certified safe space, and it is the central hub for members who want to just kick back and talk about their favourite things with other fans.”
Membership for the FLASH club is open to anyone currently enrolled as a student at the U of G. Students involved with FLASH club are able to use the club’s collection of books, manga, and DVDs. Updates about upcoming events via e-mail alerts will also ensure that members stay in the loop.
Kozak ended by stating, “Membership means being part of a network of students that are friendly and will hear you out, support you, and laugh with you all the way through your university adventure.”
Students interested in joining can submit their name and e-mail address at the FLASH booth set up during Club Days at the start of each semester. Students can also get in contact throughout the year via FLASH club’s GryphLife page or by visiting the club room, located on the second floor of the UC.
Photo by Mariah Bridgeman.