The English Students Association (ESA) is a faculty association here at Laurier Brantford! It’s open to English majors, minors, and anyone who is interested in the literary arts. You probably recognize the name from the English Olympics held by the ESA earlier this semester, but here’s more info on who they are and what their next events are. Brought to you in collaboration with the ESA president Mila Menna and the ESA treasurer Carisa Santos!
The ESA is a place for those who enjoy reading, creating writing, or theatrical arts. They hold bi-weekly book club meetings, where they are reading Room by Emma Donoghue. On the weeks that the book club doesn’t meet, the ESA holds creative writing sessions! Here they provide writing prompts, allow students to showcase any projects they are currently working on, and receive constructive feedback from their peers. Book club and creative writing sessions are held on Mondays at 12 P.M. in RCE217! Feel free to drop in and check it out.
As for upcoming events, this semester they will be seeing the play Nobody’s Perfect at the Cambridge Theatre on Friday, November 29th, where they will be meeting in front of the Student’s Center building at 7 P.M. Transportation can be provided, but if you have your own means to get to Cambridge, that’s encouraged as well! The play is about a budding writer trying to make it into the romantic genre which is a primarily female-dominated industry. It discusses the writing project and his struggle to achieve success and acclaim as a writer, regardless of gender. This opportunity is open to any students that are interested, and is free of cost! If you would like to attend, you can RSVP on The Perch, through the ESA Facebook page, or with an executive member.
Next semester, they plan to host a writing retreat in a cabin in the woods for a weekend. This is an opportunity for students with a passion for writing to focus on their work without distraction and receive feedback from peer mentors. There will also be optional writing workshops to help students develop their skills. While ESA members have ‘first dibs’ on attending this amazing opportunity (all the more incentive to get involved with the ESA!), depending on the level of interest non-ESA members may also be able to attend, with upper-year students taking priority. It will either be free of cost or available at a subsidized cost to attendees.