By Reagan Hunter | Reporter
For some Baylor students, “Twilight” is more than a vampire romance. It is a childhood favorite, a source of endless debate and now, for one group of students, the foundation of a new campus community.
La Grange freshman Vanessa Adams, a photographer at The Lariat, founded the Twilight Club after struggling to find a campus organization that matched her interests. During a family dinner, Adams said her parents suggested she look into whether Baylor already had a club dedicated to the popular book and movie series.
“I went and I checked on like the Connect portal and there wasn’t one, so I started an Instagram account and I told my friend about it and then we just started walking around and talking to people about it,” Adams said.
Adams grew up watching the “Twilight” movies with her family starting when she was about 5 years old. While she enjoyed the films as a child, her love for the franchise only deepened as she got older. Her mom was such a dedicated fan that “Twilight” even influenced a major family decision: Adams was never named Isabella because the name was too closely associated with Bella Swan.
What began as a personal interest eventually became an opportunity to bring students together. Adams partnered with Sanger freshman Abigail Wilson, the club’s co-founder, who serves as vice president and helps manage its social media presence.
Wilson initially knew little about the series, but she agreed to help Adams develop the organization.
“I actually didn’t really know much about ‘Twilight,’ nor did I care, but Nessa came to me with this interest and had an obvious passion for it,” Wilson said. “I decided to help her out since I didn’t want her becoming overwhelmed.”
Wilson’s background in social media management played a key role in helping the founders spread the word about the club. Rather than simply posting advertisements online, the pair turned to interactive “Twilight” trivia and games to catch students’ attention and encourage them to get involved.
Through the activities, students can test their knowledge of the series, compete for prizes and even be featured on the club’s social media accounts.
The organization recently hosted its first meeting, giving members a chance to introduce themselves and share what drew them to the franchise.
Of course, no “Twilight” discussion is complete without the age old “Team Edward” versus “Team Jacob” debate. Adams is firmly on Team Edward’s side, insisting that Bella and Edward were always meant to be together and that Jacob was never really in the running. She came prepared to defend her stance, presenting a slideshow at the club’s first meeting making the case for why Edward was the clear choice.
For Adams, though, the appeal of “Twilight” has never been about proving it is a flawless film series. She readily admits the movies have their shortcomings, but that is part of the charm. To her, “Twilight” is fun, nostalgic and entertaining, and she believes fans don’t need to defend every aspect of it to appreciate what it brings them.
“You just have to enjoy it for what it is,” Adams said. “It is entertaining to watch.”
Looking ahead, the founders are working toward official recognition as a student organization, and they hope to bring members together through events such as a “Twilight” movie night and other activities centered around the beloved series.
While the club is built around “Twilight,” its founders also hope it becomes more than just a place to debate vampires, werewolves or “Team Edward” versus “Team Jacob.” For Adams, the bigger goal is creating a community where students feel comfortable embracing the things they love without fear of being judged, whether they are lifelong “Twilight” fans or simply curious about the series.
“I’m really just open about, if I embarrass myself, I really get over it quickly, just because I know that no one else is thinking about it,” Adams said. “And I just hope that other people can take from that that not everything has to be a really big deal.”
Wilson shares that vision. She sees the club as an opportunity for students to embrace interests they might otherwise hesitate to share and to discover communities beyond the ones they initially expected to find.
“I hope students take the idea of being open and themselves from this club,” Wilson said. “I think many people struggle on being nerdy and having niche interests, and I think seeing other students enjoy themselves in this club can help with that.”
Wilson believes the club can offer more than just a place for fans to connect. Through events and activities, she hopes members will have opportunities to build leadership, communication and community-building skills while doing something they enjoy.
As the Twilight Club continues to grow, Adams hopes students won’t be afraid to show up as their authentic selves. Whether they are lifelong fans of the series or simply looking for a community, she wants the club to be a place where people can celebrate the interests that make them unique and find others who appreciate them too.
“We’re just here to be nerds and then have a good time,” Adams said.
