Eastern’s French Club is experiencing a renaissance after nearly a decade of absence. A trip to France inspired the beginning of the French Club this semester.

Alexis Berry, a senior French major, and Katy Gilbert, a senior French major, took a trip to France this summer. Berry and Gilbert made plans to begin the club when the fall semester started.

“I had always wondered why there wasn’t a French Club. There’s a Spanish Club, and they have so much fun,” Berry said.

Berry is the main reason for the existence of the French Club this semester, said Gilbert.

“She (Berry) came here this semester with so many ideas,” Gilbert said.

Berry became the president of the club, and Gilbert became the vice president. They began spreading the word about the club with fliers around campus and by hosting events. The club held a Halloween bingo last month and showed a movie. This week, the French Club is hosting French Week.

“We mostly put fliers up in Coleman, but for French Week we posted them everywhere,” Berry said.

Members of the club have also told foreign language professors about it because foreign language students are required to go to activities, Berry said.

Members of the French Club have attempted to hold meetings every other week, but schedule conflicts have halted this, Berry said. The club usually meets on Wednesday or Thursday nights. There is a French Club bulletin board on the first floor of Coleman Hall where foreign language classes are held.

“(The bulletin board) tells when the next meeting will be and about upcoming events,” Berry said.

Anyone interested in French is welcome to join the club, and speaking French isn’t necessary, Gilbert said.

Gilbert has taken French classes for eight years. She began taking classes in her freshman year of high school because she enjoyed the teacher.

“When I went to orientation, the French teacher was so cool and the class was so friendly that I decided, ‘Hey, I’ll take French,'” Gilbert said.

Gilbert was pleasantly surprised during her stay in France this summer; when French people heard her speak, they said her accent must be southern French.

“I was like, ‘No, I’m an American,'” Gilbert said.

Sarah Claunch, a senior math and computer sciences major with a minor in French, is also a member of the French Club. Claunch was exposed to French as a child and began studying the language in junior high. Claunch feels that having a French Club is important for students who study French so they can practice speaking it.

The French Club is planning on taking a field trip next semester.

“We want to go to Chicago to eat at a French restaurant and possibly attend a museum,” Berry said.

For French Week, the club held a bake sale and showed a movie on Monday, hosted a food night Tuesday and will have a game night Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Coleman room 1170.

“For game night, we will teach French vocabulary before we play,” Claunch said.

Everyone is welcome to participate in the game night and to join the French club.