Calissa Hagen
Reporter
You walk into the room and are greeted by Christian Cutter, who slides a rubix cube over to you. Everyone around you is focused on their own cubes, while pop music plays in the background. The environment feels so welcoming and you only feel good vibes all around you. Cutter sits down next to you and starts showing you how to solve the top of the cube.
Cutter, a sophomore at PLU, founded the Cubing Club with the goal of bringing people together and starting a new community. He was a freshman during the 2020-21 school year which was online due to Covid, and he struggled to make friends. His hope now is to provide a space of socialization, revolving around the cube.
Cutter said that it is very rewarding to teach people. “I was watching people solve them for the first time and watching their mind be blown that they got to do that, and they were able to do that,” he said. “It’s probably the coolest thing. And also when I have friends go into social situations, and then people talk about cubing and be like, proud of having a hobby and proud of being different and weird.”
Cutter started cubing in high school, mostly so that he could show off to his friends. He was then able to make new friends as he changed schools, as cubing helped him impress others. He started doing cubing competitively, attempting to solve the cube faster and faster. He currently can solve the cube in seven seconds, with the world record being around four. The club currently has a running leaderboard with all the club members’ fastest times. Cutter said that the times on the leaderboard keep getting faster and faster. “The club is very fast now,” he said. “It’s kind of intimidating, but I hope people see we’re all about fun here.”
The club recently went to the Snoco competition in Spokane where all the members got their quickest times. During the competition they got to see Max Schwa, who is currently ranked second in the world for the square one event. The square one event involves solving the Square-1, which is an unusual cube that is made up of different shapes rather than squares.
I have been going to a few meetings, and was taught how to solve the cube by one of the cubing club members. The whole goal of the club is truly in the form of a pyramid scheme. Cutter teaches a group who teaches a group, and so on. So far it seems to be working for the club, and Cutter has hope that it will continue to expand.
Cutter wants anyone who is thinking about joining the club to know that “cubing is a very large community. It’s worldwide, and it’s made for people that don’t want to be normal. And anyone can solve the cube even if they don’t think they can!”
If you want to join the cubing club or would like more information, their website is Cuttercubbing.club and their instagram is @cuttercubing. They are always looking for new members!
