By Staff Writer Eric Sousa.
Contrary to popular belief, fishbowl is not an organization centered on the domestication of small aquatic creatures. Started by now senior graphic design major Johnny Perreira, Fishbowl is a student-ran club that provides an original twist on a tradition older than the written word; story telling.
Fishbowl runs the show in an enticingly original way.
Folks are welcome to submit their names into a collecting fish bowl, drawn randomly to have three to eight minutes in the spotlight in front of the club to tell their rehearsed story.
However, participation is not required; a large percentage of attenders simply show up to enjoy the stories told by peers. So whether you are interested in sharing something or just wanting to be entertained, Fishbowl has a seat for you.
The topics for the stories are voted on prior to the event by members, so there is time to rehearse and choose which weeks you are interested in.
The topics are up for interpretation for how you want to handle the story, but the rules are simple: it needs to be your own story. It cannot promote bullying, hazing, or (severe) crime. But most importantly, and this is a give-in… it needs to be something you want to tell.
This past week, the topic was Love in honor of the fictitious holiday Valentine’s Day. The stories told covered a wide interpretation of the topic.
Some members told about their blossoming romances, others about their hilarious Valentine’s mishaps from previous years. One crowd favorite, Tim Costa, told a story about his deep evolving love for the Beatles, Velvet Underground, and eventually The Talking Heads. And of course, the classic tales of heartbreak were told.
Fishbowl, who experienced their heyday in the Fall of 2017, has already made their lasting impression on UMass Dartmouth campus. The closed-down restaurant in Maple, Sonos, is being refurbished as a useable space for clubs and the arts. It is being rebranded as The Dive.
Fishbowl was on the forefront of the conversations towards the new space. Fittingly, they were the first club to christen The Dive.
Fishbowl meets at the Dive nearly every Wednesday. On February 27, the topic is going to be “Coincidences,” hosted by Tim Costa.
The following week (3/6) Fishbowl is going to be going off-campus at the wing-enthusiast restaurant Boneheads. A room is being dedicated to the club and options for transportation are being arranged.
After that, “And Then The Cops Came” will be the topic for March 13. For updates and information about the club, Fishbowl has a group on Facebook. From there, you will receive information for all the upcoming weeks and can decide which are up your alley for attending.
Whether you are interested in honing your story telling, or getting to know your fellow classmates, one thing can be promised; you’ll find something unique in that club.
Laughs are had, introspection is standard, and friends are often made. If any of this sounds interesting to you, consider popping by to find out for yourself!