Club Fair

The club fair is not just any student life event. It is a momentous occasion where students gather to celebrate the vibrant community at Baruch that exists amidst the prevalent commuter culture, which is so greatly disparaged upon. Pushing my way through that crowded gymnasium on that Thursday afternoon I was able to acknowledge my identity as a Baruch student and that is something I am indeed proud of. The club representatives were more than hospitable to me when I approached their tables and the genuine passion and excitement they demonstrated while explaining their club’s mission was contagious. Feeling overwhelmed and energized I signed up for enough clubs and organizations to keep ten people busy for an entire academic year. I regretted later my haphazard decision to freely give out my email address to whomever was friendly enough to ask, realizing that my inbox would be cluttered with messages the next time I checked it. Unsurprisingly, given Baruch’s diversity, many of the clubs were multicultural, and while I am one to appreciate anything cultural, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat excluded. Even though these multicultural clubs promote the union of individuals from all ethnic groups, could in reality a person whose ethnically European assimilate herself to Fusion, a club representing Filipinos.
Although, I was more than familiar with many of the clubs and organizations featured at the fair, along with having attended a few meetings and receptions, surprisingly there was still more to discover. Most specifically, the Baruch College Objectivist Club, gauged my intellectual interests, as it celebrates the ideas of Ayn Rand my favorite political/philosophical thinker. It is true what they say that in college any individual even someone with the most obscure interests will find likeminded people. Looking for something more intuned with my academic interests, I made sure to visit the club table of American Humanics, a organization geared towards assisting students who wish to pursue nonprofit careers. As a prospective Public Affairs major this serves greatly towards my benefit. Many of my peers were much too excited over the prospect of free food being handed out at the club tables. I, however, couldn’t resist snatching all the free soft cover publications of Baruch’s literary magazine, Encounters, despite the fact that they made my backpack weigh a ton. While flipping through the pages of one of the publications, I was surprised to realize how many talented, artistic individuals exist at Baruch. Many of the glossy color photographs simply blew me away. I found it interesting that the representatives at the Encounters club table were characteristically hipsterish in contrast to most Baruch students who appear oftentimes clean cut and conservative in their business suits and ties. After an hour passed since entering the spacious gymnasium, now fully armed with club flyers, I found myself dizzy and disoriented meandering through aisles which I had already walked down ten times already. Finally, it was time for me to go. This is of course only the beginning of my time at Baruch and hopefully this experience won’t feel rushed. What’s so great about being a college student? I have yet to find out. Hopefully, I make it out of here alive and with a sane mind. Mark my words.