Events and Activities

It is all too easy for graduate school to become a lonely and isolating experience. While they may seem trivial, HGA puts on several social events each quarter so students have an excuse to take a break, re-connect, and hang out (and vent; venting is important, too!).

Because events rotate throughout the quarter and are contingent on a multiple of variables, the best way to keep up with what's happening and what's coming up is by subscribing to the HGA newsletter. The newsletter goes out once a month with a reminder of important events, dates, and deadlines.

In addition to the newsletter, there are several HGA traditions you can rely on that happen every quarter:

• New Student Meetup - the HGA holds a meetup a week or two before the beginning of the new school year for continuing grad students to meet the new students (and vice versa). This is a great opportunity for new students to get to know more experienced grad students who are more than happy to help them through the adjustment process into graduate school (and tell horror stories about HIST 505).
• Beginning of the Quarter Party - in addition to the New Student Meetup, the HGA holds an informal party at the beginning of Winter and Spring Quarter to allow students to catch up with each other after break and get ready for the new quarter.
• End of the Quarter Party - the HGA holds an end of the quarter party to allow students to celebrate the fact that they survived another quarter and to blow off any steam (especially for the TAs as they dig in to grade finals!).
• Weekly Meetups - the HGA co-presidents hold weekly meetups while school is in session to allow students a chance to unwind and remind them to take a break every now and then each week. These are informal meetings and attendance is not required or even expected. If students are feeling adventurous, they can use this meetup as a chance to also explore downtown Bellingham and the many restaurants, cafes, and breweries it has to offer.