Dungons and Dragons in the Library

Reported by Alicia Wolverton

On Mar. 5, the George Fox University Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) club met at the Newberg Public Library to offer kids a chance to be welcomed into a new realm of game.  Julia Sutter, president of the D&D club, was excited to teach kids skills they may not acquire in other games.

“I'm really excited about giving kids the opportunity to try D&D, because I never got that chance when I was younger. Especially now that it's becoming more mainstream, I'm excited to provide a place for kids to learn,” Sutter said.

Sutter herself had never heard of D&D prior to coming to college.  “I saw an announcement in the Daily Bruin when I was a Freshman, and decided to give it a shot even though I didn't know anyone going into it. I'm so glad I did! Here I am, 2 years later, president of the club and running my own games of D&D,” she said.  

For those have never heard of D&D, it is a fantasy role playing game played with groups of people.  “Each group has a different style of playing depending on the players and the DM (Dungeon Master), whether it's a focus on combat, role-playing, or something else,” Sutter said. “My goal is to find the right fit for everyone. It is also totally fine to just show up to a meeting! It's very easy to make a character and jump into an adventure, even if it's halfway through the semester.”  

Going forward, Sutter is looking forward to more opportunities for the D&D club to engage with kids in the community by teaching them the problem-solving skills that go hand in hand with playing D&D.  

“I think people underestimate the benefits of playing D&D, especially when you're a kid,” she said. “Learning to problem solve, work as a team, tell creative stories — in my opinion D&D is one of the best ways to exercise the creative mind, and everyone should give it a shot!”

For those interested in joining a D&D club, the best way to get started is by emailing Sutter at jsutter16@georgefox.edu.  The club usually meets every other Saturday, with some groups meeting on Friday.  The meetings “last 4 hours, which may seem like a long time, but when you're busy fighting monsters and discovering hidden treasure, the time flies,” she said.