Covenant College students now have a new, laid-back way to connect with nature and each other—the Cloud Club. Spontaneously launched this fall, this new, non-senate-sanctioned group is all about appreciating and sharing the beauty of clouds. Members are encouraged to snap pictures of the beautiful clouds that they encounter during the day and share them in the group’s GroupMe chat. The GroupMe, which was started in the beginning of September, now has over 100 members, making it the fastest growing club this year.
Photo taken by Danielle Hawks
The club’s president, Alexis Rogers ’27, was inspired by the ever-changing cloudscapes of Lookout Mountain and wanted to create a space where students could slow down and appreciate the small wonders of everyday life. Rogers says, “The Cloud Club started out of a small group of people watching a sunset on the crater, which turned to creating and putting up posters advertising it. Clouds are my favorite part of every day because they draw my eyes upwards and remind me of the steadfast love of God and the beauty of his creation, and I wanted to share that with others! Despite it being a low-commitment club, we have such high participation rates, and I love seeing clouds from other people's perspectives, and I think it really draws the campus community together in a creative and uplifting way.”
Membership is open to everyone—just have a love for nature and a phone to snap photos. Club members post real-time updates about cloud sightings, highlighting their favorite cloud formations and the best shots of sunsets. On a particularly cloudy day, the GroupMe chat notifications will be buzzing by the minute.
Hannah Parker ’26, one of the members of the Cloud Club, says she has loved being a part of the club. “I love how everyone in the group has such a creative eye and a curiosity about different ways to view God’s beauty. I have been encouraged and prompted to see creation, clouds specifically, in ways I never thought of before.”
The Cloud Club also plans casual meetups, where members gather at scenic spots around campus to watch the skies together. Often, members will shout out a spot on campus from which the clouds are most easily seen, and students flock there. Parker says, “Sometimes we will send out a message to get a group to watch the sunset together, which has created some sweet memories for me.”
As word spreads, the Cloud Club is quickly gaining popularity among students looking for a break from busy schedules. In an era of digital distraction, the club provides a refreshing opportunity to slow down and savor the simple, fleeting beauty of nature. “The highlight of my day is asking different questions about clouds and seeing all the sweet, funny and unique answers that people give. Also this: the word ‘clouds’ has letters that are shaped like a cloud,” Rogers says. Perhaps the Cloud Club can help you start to appreciate the mundane in even the clouds above your head.
Thumbnail photo taken by Danielle Hawks.