Community is a unique landscape of Japanese universities and an important part of the life of students studying in Japan. Studying abroad, I would like to introduce you to Japan's rich community activities.

Types of associations

There are all kinds of clubs in universities, only you can't think of them, and you can't create them without them. From academics to art, from sports to support, the meticulous classification and rich activities are amazing. Among them, the largest number should be sports clubs, because almost every student in Japan will participate in a sports club activity (departmental activity) in junior and senior high schools, and the sports clubs in universities are equivalent to the continuation of high school life. In addition, many song and dance clubs are also very popular. These clubs usually belong to one school but recruit students from other schools at the same time, or co-organize for several schools, so it is very convenient to make friends with students from other universities. In addition, publishing, broadcasting, advertising and other community activities provide excellent exercise opportunities for students who want to work in this field in the future.

With the participation of seniors and sisters after graduation, the number of a club usually fluctuates around dozens, and some large-scale clubs can reach hundreds. But the more people there are, the more difficult it is to gather all the members, and the requirements for club managers are correspondingly higher. At the same time, remembering everyone's name has become a big problem. But if you just want to enjoy the activities, naturally, the more people, the more fun.

Recently, there was a club called Suo in the Sauzee campus of Waseda University in Weibo, which literally translated as "Let the Sauzee campus be closer to Takada Racecourse". Although I study in this department, I also know that Soze campus is far away, and the establishment time of this club is unknown. I heard there was a little success. ! )。 This incident also caused an uproar on Twitter, and some people lamented. のこぅぃったはですねねねねねねねねねね

join an association

University associations generally recruit new members from the end of March to the beginning of April each year, that is, when freshmen enter school. In recent years, many universities open their enrollment in autumn to attract more international students, and some clubs choose to enroll new students at the end of September in order not to let the students who failed to join in April wait until the next year with regret.

When the club recruits new students, the whole campus is full of people, and the excitement is comparable to the Academy Festival. Homemade poster boards are everywhere on campus, and many old members distribute leaflets and brochures everywhere. When they see freshmen who are slightly interested, their eyes will light up and they can't wait to write their names into the club roster at once.

Usually, the time and place of welcome activities (New Year's Eve) will be indicated on posters or leaflets. If the cherry blossoms have not completely fallen, a flower viewing party will be held in early April. In order to avoid conflicts with other societies, several welcoming activities will be held. Pick a few clubs you are interested in and go at the specified time. When you meet an enthusiastic grandparent, you can even exchange line (Japanese chat tool, similar to WeChat, used by almost everyone in Japan) accounts immediately, and you can consult in time if you have any questions.

In the welcome activities, the ancestors will explain the activities of the community, show the elegance of the community, and change various ways to familiarize the newcomers as soon as possible. After the meeting, there will be networking activities, with the aim of allowing newcomers to integrate into the club more quickly.

Club activities

Each club has a detailed activity schedule, and the number of regular activities per week varies from 1~3 times. In order not to conflict with the class time, activities are usually arranged in the evening or on weekends. However, サークル and クラブ are very different in nature. The former is relatively free to attend activities, while the latter is extremely strict. Once you join, some activities have to be given up even if they conflict with courses or working hours, so students who concentrate on their studies still choose "サー".

In addition to regular activities, many members will team up for independent exercises (self-training) related to club content after class, which depends on the enthusiasm and consciousness of members. The time and place of practice are not limited, but the school usually has a special building for club activities, providing an activity room for everyone's convenience.

In order to enhance the friendship between members, drinking parties and other activities are also common. However, since Japanese regulations stipulate that people under the age of 20 are minors and cannot drink alcohol, izakaya usually provides soft drinks. In addition, the club often organizes outings (sleeping together) during holidays, and members travel together to relax when they drop out of college, while continuing the club's activities and practices.

Japan has a strong concept of past dynasties. In a society, regardless of age, the first person to join the society is the ancestor. You need to add "さん" before your ancestors' names, and you need to talk to your ancestors in exhortation (Dingning language). Because of this form, the relationship between the younger generation and the younger generation will not be too close. In this sense, associations seem to be the epitome of Japanese society. However, the advantage of being a foreigner is that you don't have to worry too much, keep a friendly smile, ask for advice modestly and get along with your ancestors.

interschool exchange

Between different universities, organizations of the same type often hold joint activities. Take ChocoCrunch Club in Waseda as an example. This club is cappella Club. Members are free to form bands (ァカペラ). After registering on the club website and passing the exam, they can join many similar groups in the name of this club. At this time, band members will send emails to other members in groups to promote them vigorously. Tickets and drinks will be charged for concerts, and new members usually enjoy preferential prices. Accordingly, dance societies hold inter-school dances and other activities, while sports clubs are naturally various sports competitions. And famous inter-school competitions, such as the early celebration war, many societies will also organize members to watch and cheer together, which is to enhance the sense of collective honor.