BYU clubs are now allowed to host events without COVID-19 protocols.
Clubs will no longer have to socially distance, require masks and distribute individually packaged meals, among other protocols, but are still advised to, 'exercise sensible caution,' an email from the Student Academic Association Office said.
The decision to lax COVID-19 guidelines comes as a positive one for clubs as they can host events in a pre-pandemic fashion.
'We're a social dance club, so it really limited us not being able to hold dances regularly and it limited the styles of dance we were able to do. We're really excited to be able to start planning dances, where it is a social atmosphere, you can dance with different people,' BYU Vintage Swing Dance Club President Alyssa Ward said.
Clubs faced obstacles to overcome during COVID-19 as they were only allowed to have events on BYUSA Club Night alongside other clubs, instead of hosting an event on their own, Ward said.
As clubs were limited in events they could host, the BYU Dance Club maintained their attendance rate throughout the pandemic, but other clubs faced challenges in their attendance, according to Ward.
'During COVID, we had 10 to 15 people a week, which was pretty standard for us, but from what they were telling me (attendance) was pretty uncommon for other clubs,' Ward said.
Another facet clubs struggled with during the pandemic, particularly dance-based clubs, was deciding whether or not to host meetings on Zoom.
She said the club talked about doing Zoom, but doing dance lessons that way is kind of awkward. 'There was a struggle there, trying to decide if should we try doing it online, but it didn't feel worth it because you wouldn't get the atmosphere, the culture of what the style of dance is.'
As clubs no longer have to worry about COVID-19 protocols and the hurdles that come along with it, excitement is building up for the BYU Vintage Swing Dance Club's event on July 3.
'We've had a lot of people reaching out to us (asking,) 'are you guys open yet and are you guys doing anything,' so hopefully we get to see a lot of those faces because people are anxious to get started again,' Ward said.