Ascolto TOEFL B1: Bicycle club

Hi.

Good afternoon.

Come on in.

Okay.

So, what can I help you with today?

Well, I want to join the bicycle club.

Joining clubs is a great thing to do.

Unfortunately, the bicycle club currently has no events

because the office is being renovated.

Oh... well, when is it going to be done?

The anticipated date of completion is next semester,

though it could take as long as a year.

Wow... that's a long time.

That's a bummer.

I do apologize.

It's not your fault, I guess.

Umm... so are there other clubs I can join instead?

Absolutely.

There are a wide variety of clubs throughout campus.

Since you were interested in the bicycle club,

I would recommend the hiking club or rock climbing club.

They are popular options for students who are interested in exercising and meeting friends.

Those could be nice.

It's too bad about the bicycle club, though.

But, yeah, those would work.

How about the hiking club, when is it?

The hiking club meets Friday evenings.

That won't work then.

I have biology class on Friday night.

I didn't think finding a club would be this hard.

Don't get discouraged.

It's all about finding the right fit.

In the future, the bicycle club's office will be finished and they will start up again.

You won't always have biology on Friday nights either.

What about the rock climbing club?

I do really like climbing.

When is that one?

Let's see...

the rock climbing club meets Tuesday afternoons.

Okay... okay yeah,

I don't have any class or anything going on then.

So you'd like to join the rock climbing club?

Yes, please!

Alright.

So, the process isn't too complicated.

You just have to pay the dues, which aren't very large,

and then fill out your contact information and attend the next meeting.

Is it going to be their first ever meeting?

Like, will I be that strange new person that nobody knows?

It is not their first meeting,

but you really don't need to worry.

The whole point of clubs is that they're social and welcoming to new people.

I'm sure you'll fit right in.

That's easy to say, but what if I don't?

Well, thinking negatively like that will only hurt your chances.

So first, try to stay positive.

They will probably ask you to introduce yourself,

so they can get to know you a little bit and you'll be good from there.

Stuff like that makes me nervous.

It's perfectly normal to be nervous.

But remember, everybody there was the new person at some point.

But, if for some reason it doesn't work out for you,

you can always come back to me.

There are plenty of clubs for all kinds of people.

And like I said before,

you may be able to join the hiking or bicycle club in the future.

But I should still try this now?

Of course.

There are no guarantees

and one of the major aspects of college is going out and trying new things.