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At the AV classroom Building 38, Toyama Campus

"Student Reports" is a series where students share glimpses of campus life, where diverse people gather and learn in various ways, along with their own insights and growth. This time, Hiyori Miyayanagi, a student staff member of the Student Affairs Division and a member of an officially recognized student club, reports from the perspective of a participant on the "Official student club Seminar," which was held in three sessions Student Affairs Section and was mandatory for all officially recognized student club at Waseda University!

"Consideration" and "responsibility" to protect student club activities

Hiyori Miyanagi, 2nd year student School of Culture, Media and Society

What do you think is important for enjoying student club activities with peace of mind? At the official student club seminar, we were able to learn essential knowledge and ways of thinking for that purpose.

Student Affairs Section Here is information regarding the various procedures for the officially recognized student club, Center for Gender and Sexuality (From Gender and Sexuality Center, as follows) Promoting Diversity at the Official student club Regarding this, furthermore, Kirin Brewery Co., Ltd. We heard from our guest lecturer about the importance of responsible drinking.

I learned three things from participating in this seminar. First, I realized the importance of considering alcohol-related accidents as something that could happen to me personally. Many of the alcohol-related accidents that actually occur are not cases where people are forced to drink, as I had imagined, but rather cases of voluntary drinking, such as "I have a high tolerance for alcohol" or "I got carried away by the atmosphere," situations that I have also seen at student club parties and other social gatherings.

The instructor also taught us that "it's important to know how much pure alcohol you're actually consuming." Even if you have knowledge about responsible drinking, there are times when you don't really take it personally. I was reminded that even things you can normally judge calmly can become difficult to judge in a fun atmosphere, leading to irreversible consequences.

The program introduced how to determine the "pure alcohol content" and provided tips for drinking alcohol.

In many cases of death due to acute alcohol poisoning, the victim apparently thought their friend was just sleeping and left the scene. It was heartbreaking to hear stories of lives that might have been saved if someone had been nearby, noticed something was wrong, and responded immediately.

Secondly, I realize that officially recognized student club are able to operate safely thanks to numerous procedures and the support of many people. I have been working as a student staff member in Student Affairs Section since November 2025. Before becoming a student staff member, I was unaware of the many procedures that go on behind the scenes for student club activities. student club activities that we casually participate in are not run solely by students, but are safely operated with the support of many people, including Student Affairs Section. I have come to realize once again that we can participate with peace of mind because we are recognized as an officially recognized student club after going through the necessary procedures, and because the university is aware of our activities.

Photo on the left: The officially recognized student club seminar was run by student staff Student Affairs Section.
Photo on the right: The seminar consisted of three sessions and was attended by approximately 1,000 students (2 students per student club).

The third point is the importance and difficulty of running student club while respecting diversity. Gender and Sexuality Center 's talk gave us an opportunity to think about communication within student club from the perspectives of gender, sexuality, and DE&I (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion). Within student club, because we are friends, we tend to say things casually without thinking. However, that one word or action might make someone feel uncomfortable or cause them to give up on participating in student club. Even if we don't intend to hurt anyone, casual words can be a burden to others, and we felt the difficulty of being considerate. We also learned the importance of striving to create an atmosphere where everyone can participate with peace of mind.

The "student club and Extracurricular activity Gender and Sexuality DE&I Guidebook," published by Gender and Sexuality Center in March 2024, introduces practical examples that can be used in the management of student club and Extracurricular activity. (Click to read the guidebook)

student club activities are valuable experiences that enrich student life. I realized once again that in order to protect this environment, it is important for each individual to act with consideration and responsibility, in addition to the university's systems and support. I would like to apply what I learned in this seminar to my own actions and contribute to creating student club where everyone can participate with peace of mind.

I will never allow or permit anyone under the age of 20 to drink alcohol.

I will never drink alcohol unnecessarily, nor will I allow others to drink alcohol unnecessarily.