The first time I interacted with Hannah was at my freshman orientation, and I immediately felt welcomed by her warm demeanour and how easy it was to talk to her. Hannah Goodman is a junior majoring in neuroscience and psychology, and she is also the President of Table Talk. If you’re on campus, you may bump into her at the GSU or when she grabs coffee with her friends! Read more to learn about her, Table Talk, and how you can foster meaningful connections on campus.
Q. What is TableTalk all about?
TableTalk is a club that aims to provide a safe and comfortable environment for engaging and challenging conversations. We do events that explore any topic that our members are interested in. Before COVID-19, we would center these conversations around a meal, but because of the current circumstances, we have been doing them on Zoom. The events revolve around the members in the club and what the campus social climate looks like. One thing that people don’t know is that TableTalk is just a chapter that is part of a larger non-profit organization. A lot of our discussions are really fun and not always serious, so everyone is welcome to join!
Q. What have been the highlights of your time as President of TableTalk? How do you think your leadership has impacted the club and its members?
I really enjoy hearing all the different perspectives of the members in our club during conversations. As the president, I feel that my leadership has impacted the way the club is designed. Since I started the club my freshman year, I have seen my team and I grow and change.
Q. Do you think TableTalk has achieved its mission of creating conversation and fostering a community, even during the online semester?
Yes, I think that we are still able to have important conversations even with an online community. During the pandemic, most people were looking to make new friends and feel like they belong in the BU Community. In fact, with an online community, we have reached a larger group of people, and it has made it easier to include everyone in conversations like these online.
Q. How has being a part of TableTalk impacted you and your interactions with the Boston University community?
One of the most memorable discussions we had was when we went on a retreat, and we talked about body image and relationships with food. It really allowed everyone to open up in a way that I had not expected. We were able to get deep and comfortable with each other. I felt really connected to the members and friends in the club, and that is something I am always grateful to this organization for!
Q. What do you think are the challenging parts of the responsibility of being President of TableTalk BU and how do you overcome them?
I think the most challenging part of TableTalk is choosing discussion topics that all of our members are interested in talking about, as well as creating a comfortable environment for them to open up. This was especially challenging with the online semester, but our team managed to overcome it through ice breakers and a lot of fun discussions.
Q. What advice do you have for freshmen or anyone else who struggles to find community at college?
Put yourself out of your comfort zone and talk to people. It might be awkward initially due to the Zoom classes, but turn your camera on, say hi to people you want to get to know, and it’s definitely possible to still make friends! There are many other students in the same position, and all you have to do is reach out.
Follow Hannah and TableTalkBU on Instagram to find out more!
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