The University of Mississippi’s Russian Club hosted a Game Night on Tuesday, Feb. 18, during which students played Russian games like дурак (Fool) and Пьяница (Drunkard) to promote a better understanding of Russian language, culture and history.
President of the Russian Club Miriam King, a senior political science and philosophy double major, started learning Russian her sophomore year to be able to communicate with her aunt.
“I didn’t know any (Russian) before I joined the program, but you have to have a foreign language for the political science department,” King said. “My uncle married a lady from St. Petersburg, and I wanted to be able to really talk to her.”
With the help of the professors and Russian students, King co-founded the organization in 2022. King said the club’s priority is to help students learn Russian in an informal setting.
“It was really our graduate assistant, Iuliia Rychvoka, and the other professors who really wanted an opportunity for students to learn Russian in a more informal environment, because it can be easier on them to learn Russian by playing games or watching movies,” King said.
King said the club has had a wide range of events from movie nights to cartoons. It has also featured food like Russian crepes. King shared her experience with the Russian club so far.
“I think whether or not you know somebody who speaks Russian or you know someone from Russia or other Slavic countries, joining the Russian club has really been eye-opening to how similar and how different we all are,” King said. “I think it’s a good way to learn more about other people and learn more about yourself.”
King said that beyond learning about slavic languages and culture, the club provides a space for international and domestic students to connect.
“It gives a lot of our international students a taste of home, and I would say especially with everything that goes on in the world, politically or otherwise, that people don’t always get to know other people because of a cultural divide,” King said. “The Russian Club doesn’t just represent Russian culture but they do all sorts of things with just Slavic culture in general.”
Vice President Sofia Diaz, a sophomore psychology major, echoed King’s sentiments.
“I think it’s just a way to see some individuals and guests that aren’t necessarily going to be in your classes,” Diaz said. “I also think it helps you really integrate into the culture.”
The next event will be on March 18 at 5 p.m. in Bishop Room 105.
