The Chonnam Tribune provides information about student clubs at Chonnam National University (CNU) on this page from the 361st issue. It is helpful for students who want to have various experiences through extracurricular activities by joining these clubs. This issue introduces two clubs in the sports division of the CNU Student Club Association. – Ed.

In recent days, many people are stressed out or feel depressed and lethargic, suffering from things such as “pandemic fatigue,” because the coronavirus continues to spread across the country. In times like this, exercise or playing sports is one of the simplest ways to relieve or prevent stress. It is also a good choice to strengthen your mind and boost your energy. CNU’s tennis club “Grip” helps its members to improve their physical and mental health even during the pandemic.

The club name is derived from the handle of a tennis racket. Since 1980, GRIP has kept its tradition as a tennis club, and has actively participated in various tennis events across the country. They have won first place and second place multiple times at on-campus and off-campus competitions such as the National University Tennis Competition, Haneoul Cup Tournament, and Yongbong Tennis Tournament. Under the COVID-19 situation, even though not as many people are allowed to gather, the club tries to enjoy playing tennis without violating guidelines for disinfection and sterilization. To prevent infection, they limit four members per court and provide hand sanitizers and also hold zoom meetings to continue their club activities steadily.

The club has been recently focusing on educational activities for freshmen and hosting their own events, due to the difficulty of taking part in competitions. While participating in those activities, club members share their opinions, promote exchange activities, and create intimacy. Lim Hyo-seong (Senior, Dept. of Education) said, “The most memorable event was an athletic competition to celebrate the anniversary of the foundation of our club. When we were preparing for the event, we had a lot of things to discuss and decide, but we collaborated with each other and successfully completed it.” New members developed their passion for tennis and built a sense of belonging by taking some classes from seniors and by hosting those events. It was a good experience to host and share opinions while preparing for the foundation celebration event.

Tennis is a sport that cannot easily be found in our daily lives, so many people do not know the attraction of tennis. Grip President Park Kwang-kyun (Senior, Dept. of Biology) explained the benefits of playing tennis in his club, "Tennis is an active and dynamic sport that requires short bursts of power and intense exercise. We must move quickly on the court like interval training. It is the charm of tennis.” A Grip member Yoon Ji-min (Junior, Dept. of Animal Resources) also said, “Tennis is hard to learn at first, but if you learn it, you will know the attraction of tennis. If the ball hits the racket exactly and flies in a pretty parabola shape, it is thrilling.”

Learning a new sport is can make you nervous, but if you learn it, you will know its attraction and benefits. You can also meet various people while exercising. It recruits new members at all times, but now it is promoting the recruitment of new members through a campus club fair event organized by the CNU Club Association. For those who want to establish new interpersonal relationships while exercising, Grip is a great opportunity. Do not hesitate to contact the energetic sports club if you want to feel excited whilst hitting a rally in tennis.

By Lee Eun-ji, Tribune Reporter