NDSU’s To Be Determined Comedy club helps students build skills, make new friends 和 have a good time in a welcoming environment.
TBD是 an improvisation-based comedy student organization open to undergraduate 和 graduate students from all academic disciplines. The club hosts improv shows every two to four weeks, which are free 和 open to the public. Members also meet twice a week to practice their improv skills 和 receive advice from other students.
哈雷Sigl, TBD的总裁, said the club welcomes all students regardless of their improv comedy knowledge 和 skill level.
“We have all sorts of people that have done different types of comedy, whether it's comedy writing or people who have never even told a joke,”Sigl说, a junior business administration major from Lakeville, 明尼苏达州.
The inclusive environment is a big appeal to several of the club’s members. AJ库安贝克, a senior double majoring in music 和 sociology, said they initially attended one of TBD’s shows before deciding to join.
“每个人都非常鼓励. I had done a bunch of theater in high school, I hadn’t really done any since 和 this was a really great, low-pressure way to get back into performing,泉贝克说。, 他来自法戈.
即兴表演, 这需要思维敏捷, 自信与演讲, has been beneficial to building skills students can take beyond college. TBD’s shows are designed to be interactive with audience members, who at times can throw out scenarios or words they want reflected in the jokes.
“It’s more of an art than you would initially think,九月汉密尔顿说。, a sophomore biological sciences major who has been in TBD for 大约一年. “There’s a lot of elements to it, 和 it does take a bit of time to learn the basics. Also, it’s learning how to run with ideas which can be applied to a lot of different things. Sometimes to make something work you need to take up someone else’s idea instead of running with your own, 和 that’s something I learned more from improv.”
Quanbeck said receiving 和 giving constructive feedback, 还有倾听别人的意见, has been a major skill they’ve amplified through TBD.
泰勒铁试剂, a graduate student in computer science from Westcliffe, 科罗拉多州, said he has been able to build on his interpersonal skills through his involvement in TBD. Being able to meet 和 collaborate with students from a variety of disciplines has also been a benefit for Ferron.
“I very much appreciate that aspect of it,” he said. “虽然我们都是不同的专业, 不同的背景, it’s still a lot of people who like to have fun, 喜欢笑，喜欢讲笑话.”
Students in TBD say being a part of the club has been a great way to find a friend group on campus that they can share a laugh with 和 enhance their college experience.
“这太棒了. I have a really hard time getting out of my shell 和 kind of getting out of that rut of sticking to myself,汉密尔顿说。, 他来自法戈. “I’m really introverted 和 so I think it’s been a really nice experience for me being able to really get out there, have fun 和 be silly with other people.”
Quanbeck, who began performing on the violin at 3 years old, said TBD feels different.
“This is the only time I wasn’t nervous before going on stage because you get out there 和 it’s just you 和 your friends having fun,Quanbeck说. “他们抓住你了. 你们在一起创造一些东西. It’s not like we have prepared this thing 和 then we have to go 和 present it perfectly. We’re creating something in the moment, which is so cool.”
“I really like just being able to let the creativity fly 和 come up with fun stuff 和 watch other people come up with fun things,西格尔说. “When we have a good day, it’s really good, everyone’s laughing until their sides hurt.”
TBD members’ advice for those thinking of joining is to go for it, 即使他们对即兴表演感到紧张.
“Don’t be afraid to jump right in, but don’t be afraid to improve either,” Ferron said. “人无完人. 能够听取别人的建议, 能够运行它, you’ll be able to then build yourself up 和 become a great performer.”
Students can learn more about the TBD club on Instagram 和 MyNDSU.
To hear more about the impact TBD has on its members, check out the official NDSU YouTube频道.
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