One of the biggest events of welcome week, as well as one of the most important, is the annual club fair. The university has well over one hundred different clubs and organizations that students have the opportunity to join. The club fair serves the dual purpose of giving those clubs and organizations a chance to advertise themselves to new students as well as giving those students a chance to browse the clubs and sign up for any that interest them.
Originally planned for Sunday, August 28, the fair was pushed back due to the closings to Tuesday, September 6, from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. in the Beckerman Recreation Center. During that time, about 110 of the clubs and organizations at UNH set up booths and sent representatives to make their presence known, explain the club to anyone who passed by, and collect contact information for anyone interested in joining. Clubs represented varied from sports teams, professional societies, and major-based clubs to the medias, fraternities and sororities, as well as many others. The greek organizations and step teams even gave a few brief performances throughout the fair to keep everyone engaged and interested. The club fair was organized by the Office of Student Activities and the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA), which was also represented at the fair.
Attendance at the club was incredible, and the entire rec center gymnasium was packed! The main reason it is so popular is that for many of the freshmen and new transfer students, it serves as their first contact with any of the clubs and organizations the university has to offer. It’s important to remember that college is not just about excelling in class and obtaining a degree, but about expanding your horizons, meeting new people, and getting involved. One of the best ways to do all of those is to join a club.
Becoming a part of a sports team will help you get in shape while cultivating a love for the sport. Professional societies and other major-based clubs help connect academics with the overall college experience and make connections that could help you in class. The medias give you the opportunity to contribute to the major student-run publications of the university (The Charger Bulletin and The Chariot Yearbook) and plan as well as implement the many events that you see going on around campus (SCOPE). The various fraternities and sororities also plan a lot of the events that occur both on and off campus, as well as count among their ranks some of the university’s best student leaders.
Most of all, no matter which you join, every club will give you the chance to make new friendships that could last long past graduation. If you missed your chance to join something you’re interested in at the club fair, keep your eyes peeled for emails from them, or go into the Office of Student Activities and find their contact information.
No matter what you do during your years here at UNH, make sure you get involved!
