As the new semester approaches, the 2021 USB team has been announced, with dozens of new members joining the organization for its upcoming term.

The new USB members have been working on various ways to enhance student life behind a screen, especially when it comes to holding engaging online events.

Sophomore Michelle Chan said that she plans to use her position to improve the distance learning experience for students overall, incorporating their ideas and opinions into her decision-making.

“As a member of USB, I hope to use the feedback we gain from the student body to improve student life and enjoyment,” she said via Instagram. 

Chan said that she wanted to get more involved at school not only to help her peers, but as a means to improve herself as well, which is part of the reason she applied to USB.

“I wanted to challenge myself with a leadership position to sharpen my leadership and social skills,” she said via Instagram. 

Chan also expressed that USB is concerned with the lack of student participation in the virtual events they’ve been holding on their Instagram page, @diamondbarusb. She attributes some of this to the fact that these events are no longer social gatherings, so students aren’t inviting friends to participate.

“People usually go to events to have fun with friends, but that is a less viable option in quarantine, so it’s raised some problems when executing events,” she said. 

After a year as the Class of 2023 President, Chan is spending her second year on USB. 

Meanwhile, new member junior Nicole Tong says that she enjoys the process of planning events—an area in which she has some experience with, as she also helps organize events as a Key Club officer—because of the way they create team bonds between attendees.

“I’m in two sports and I like the family aspect when you’re in a team,” Tong said via Instagram. 

Additionally, Tong said that she wants to sharpen her leadership skills and improve interaction with students as well.

Tong said that she has trouble staying motivated in this new digital learning environment, but now that she is in USB, she said that she looks forward to planning some school events.