New club explores ‘finer things’ in life

When senior Dan Veres co-founded Pitt’s Finer Things Club last semester, he didn’t want the…When senior Dan Veres co-founded Pitt’s Finer Things Club last semester, he didn’t want the group’s mission confined to a simple description on the Pitt Student Organization Resource Center website.

“We don’t like to limit finer things to one or two [things],” Veres said.

So with the help of fellow seniors Jay Crammond and Kyle Ryan and inspiration from hit NBC sitcom “The Office,” Veres wrote the organization’s constitution at the end of last semester. And the trio say Pitt students have bought into the idea of living a cost-friendly cultured life.

Finer Things Clubs have popped up across the country since characters on NBC’s “The Office” participated in a Finer Things Club in a 2007 episode. On the show, the three characters who compose the Finer Things Club discuss literature, music and the arts during lunch breaks from work.

Pitt’s version of the Finer Things Club is far more inclusive, and the club’s creators said they will center the group’s definition of “finer things” on the aspects of life that club members consider “fine.”

Ryan, the club’s business manager, said he couldn’t define what “finer things” were, and instead broadly defined the phrase as “a wide collection of what life is about, and what people enjoy in their own lives.”

Veres, who plays the cello and enjoys classical music, said he envisioned the group attending concerts at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, because he wanted to expand the group to younger music lovers, as well as meeting with local artists.

But he added that he wanted members to keep a relaxed atmosphere at club meetings, allowing members’ interests to dictate the group’s agenda.

“We really try to keep the meetings light and enjoyable,” Veres said. “We’re not there to have a stressed discussion.”

Crammond, the club’s vice president, said the group has attracted “a pretty wide range of people” among the 50 students who RSVP-ed for the club’s first meeting. Unfortunately, he said, the meeting never materialized because of scheduling difficulties.

Despite the eclectic nature of the group, Veres said one trait stood out among the new members.

“In general, [club members are] people who take life seriously and take comfort in life’s finer things,” Veres said.

Crammond and Veres agreed that appreciation of nature was a part of life’s “finer things,” and Veres said he hoped to hold some meetings outdoors. Crammond said that he believes nature helps to “enhance” the finer things in life.

Ryan, an actor and standup comedian who’s appearing in the upcoming film adaptation of “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” said the Finer Things Club is a testament to the interests and activities of his group of friends at Pitt, which includes Crammond and Veres. He said they wanted to find fellow students who enjoy activities such as attending art shows and symphonies.

“We want to get more people involved and see if there are other people interested in this,” Ryan said. “We just had this sudden urge, and then we had 160 people sign up at the activities fair.”

As the group’s student following continues to grow in just its first semester, Veres said he hopes the Finer Things Club improves the cultural savvy of not only its members, but the Pitt student body as a whole.

“I want to get the word out there that classical music, art, going to museums and stuff like that isn’t just for older, cultured people, but for everyone,” Veres said.

Students can learn more about joining the club by emailing Veres at dav24@pitt.edu.