Recognizing that distance learning has drastically altered what social interaction looks like at Dublin High, a group of freshmen started the Peer2Peer club to create a safe space for students to talk and make new friends. 

The club president, Maya Patel, started this club because of her own experiences. “During COVID-19, people aren’t getting the social interaction that they usually would and that lack of social interaction can make people who don’t have social skills hide away. They can drive people away; I know because I have social anxiety, so it’s been very hard for me to connect with other people.”

“I can’t imagine what it’s like for people that don’t have help provided to them right now,” Maya continued. “I wanted to find some way to help others dealing with this stress.” 

Maya, along with the majority of the rest of the board members, is a former member of the Peer Education and Counseling class in Fallon Middle School. She was involved in social circles that helped students at Fallon with open discussions about different topics that bothered or worried them, occurring at home or school. 

“Using what I learned in PEAC I want to continue what was stopped because of COVID-19 and have peer to peer connections with people at the high school and reassure them in times when there’s not much to rely on. Overall, my goal is to show people at Dublin High that everyone is in this together and that this is only a moment in time.” 

The club will be focusing on peer to peer connections and will also include mindfulness practices. Being a member is not mandatory for joining club meetings, which will be held every other week on Fridays at 3 pm for 30 minutes.

For more information, visit their Instagram at @dhspeer2peer.