The yearly freshman convocation takes place in a single day of our lives. It marks the beginning of our involvement in NJIT, academic or otherwise.
With that in mind, the annual club fair is meant to introduce freshmen to the organizations on campus that will enrich our academic careers. Unlike most years, this club fair was held on the lower green instead on the upper green. It was held directly across from the convocation. This was done in an effort to expose the freshmen to the active clubs; after convocation, the students headed directly to the lower green and take part in the grand festivity put out by the clubs.
From the craftiness of IEEE’s awesome 3d printer to the NJIT Game Club displaying its passion by showing Nintendo love, every club went all-out to let everyone know who they are and what they do. Walking through the stands, club members had all sorts of crazy gimmicks to attract new members.
Food was being offered from a lot of the big organizations alongside some smaller clubs who wanted to get themselves out there. Students went about, joking with rival clubs, and running around trying to show off their craziness. I even took place in the event’s antics by taping flyers from eight different organizations. To myself. (Before you ask; yes, I am part of that many organizations. It doesn’t mean I’m a high-ranking member. But hey, no one said I couldn’t be.)
If you attended the club fair, you probably had fun. All the clubs did their best to give their new fellows an enjoyable day; one that might convince you to join their organization. However, what you didn’t see from everyone was how much hard work everyone put into the event to be able to showcase their organizations the way they did at the fair. Our club spent tons of time arranging our tent and making sure we had something to hand out at the table. Yet, no one who helped was frustrated or wished they could be somewhere else.
So far, the club fair as a whole stands out as one of the brightest moments of the year. I couldn’t help but feel welcomed by everyone. Everyone became friends for a day to celebrate the fact that they can do awesome things outside their classrooms. It showed how involved and focused our students are at making their organizations the best they could be.
This isn’t a PSA telling people to go join clubs right away. However, props to everyone involved in the annual NJIT club fair and making it as hectic as it always should be. From crowded stands to giant lines, seeing these huge numbers of students packed between two rows of tables is gratifying, especially since I am a part of eight of the clubs represented at the club fair.
So, thanks! Thanks to all of the clubs for showing what makes them awesome. Thanks to Greek Life for showing that they aren’t like what you see in the movies. Thanks to administration for making the club fair possible. Lastly, thanks to you and every student in NJIT for making the club fair what it is!