The sounds of voices echo loudly as students walk behind each other. There’s barely any space to breathe, yet there are still smiles on people’s faces. Tables are arranged in rows and students meet a different person every few minutes. John Jay’s annual Club Involvement Fair has returned.
Students at John Jay College engaged in the Involvement Fair on September 13th and September 14th, presenting a change from the decline club’s experienced due to the pandemic.
Many showed up during the community hour to sign up for clubs and organizations at John Jay. Each table featured club executives prepared to represent their organization and increase their membership. They handed out merchandise such as shirts, stickers, water bottles, and hats. Clubs like the Law Society and ePortfolio held raffles.
Aicha Chisse, a political science major, described her experience at the Involvement Fair as a significant opportunity.
“Being in a new environment is not easy, but at the Involvement Fair, I found a place for myself as a woman, a Muslim, and also black,” said Chisse.
She decided to join the African Student Association, Karate, and the Law Society.
Chisse’s excitement to join clubs symbolizes an improvement for the state of club life. John Jay College has more than 50 clubs that offer a wide range of cultural, educational, and wellness-oriented opportunities, a sharp uptick after dipping to 36 last spring. Many clubs are expected to be added to that number, according to The Center for Student Involvement and Leadership.
As clubs are expanding outside the restraints of COVID-19, some students believe the involvement fair is important in helping students interact with each other and explore their interests.
Isabella Gojcaj, an International Criminal Justice major, found her involvement at the fair to be incredibly helpful.
“It allows students to explore their options in an interactive yet less intimidating manner,” said Gojcaj.
Some freshman students expressed their frustrations and had a different experience from Isabella. They found it stressful to be gathered in a crowd, moving closely behind people.
Brianna Batista, a freshman majoring in Criminology, explained that the crowd made it difficult for her to find the specific clubs she wanted to join.
“Sometimes people would stay in one place and not move, making it seem slow at first,” said Batista. “I was disappointed that I couldn’t reach some clubs.”
Many tables were tightly packed in rows, causing students to have trouble moving around. Despite this negative aspect, Batista was grateful that John Jay provided an environment that could help her grow academically and personally.
Some students were also pleased to see students excited about club life.
Liza Begum, a freshman student with a double major in Political Science and International Criminal Justice, expressed her surprise to see the amount of students in attendance.
“I didn’t expect so many people to be genuinely interested in clubs and passionate about getting involved,” said Begum.
There were also some students who came because they thought it would be fun.
Khursheda Khan, a criminology major, decided to come to the fair because she thought the experience would be enjoyable.
“It’s silly, but I remember walking around and signing up for the randomist clubs just for fun,” said Khan.
Many club executives are hopeful and look forward to future involvement fairs. John Jay’s Desi Society shared their experiences at the involvement fair.
Disha Navadia spoke about being one of the faces of Desi Society.
“It’s fun learning where everyone is from and what they’re excited to see at our events,” said Navadia.
She shared a few improvements for next year’s fair for her own table, like giving out more snacks and stickers to appeal to the crowd. She enjoys seeing new students from all backgrounds become members of the club.
Huriya Waqar, a Forensic Psychology major, had many ideas for improvements for next year’s fair. Waqar hopes that in the future it can be easier and more efficient to sign up for clubs and organizations.
“Changing the uniform sign up sheets, and incorporating more QR Codes and handouts would be more helpful,” said Waqar.
