Advisory is a time for studying or socializing for most students on campus, but on Tuesday, it meant pick up games of table tennis in the classroom of social studies teacher Gary Mumford.

“We all compete at an intermediate level, and many of us are beginners, so we get together and we learn together about how to play,” senior Sohum Shah said. “It’s a different kind of sport because you don’t move much, it’s more about reflexes and quick twitch, and so it’s fun for someone who really wants to do something fun and relax, and not have to work out too much.” 

Mumford has a history with the sport, and supports the students getting the opportunity to play in a fun and competitive environment. 

‘Some guys just come in here, just to fool around, and we set up a little table just to recreate it, and they had a lot of fun with it. It builds camaraderie, encourages exercise, and kids just get to have fun,” Mumford said. “I’m pretty good table tennis player, I was second in my dorm, all four years of college, so it was a lot of fun for me too.” 

Senior Kunal Dhawan hopes Tuesday’s pick-up games can lead to more students to congregate, and learn about the sport and its techniques.

“We just play, and most of us aren’t great, but we try to work on it,” Dhawan said. “It just really brings people together, even people that don’t really play and can come to school and compete with their friends and other people.”