Spring Club Fair highlights extracurricular activities on campus

Jan. 28, 2013

April Wefler
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Students vying for jobs or new friends might want to consider taking up some activities outside of class.

An opportunity for UCCS clubs and organizations to meet and talk with students, the spring Club Fair held Jan. 24 on the University Center Upper Plaza demonstrated multiple opportunities.

“Not only are they good for a social life, they also look good on a resume. In a way, they’re essential to getting a job,” said senior Jenny Ishida, chair of the Japanese Language Appreciation Club.

Mercedes Allen, a senior and director of marketing for Young Americans for Liberty, said she originally transferred here and that the club fair helped her transition. “Coming into a whole new environment, you kind of need it, otherwise you’re lost,” she said.

Allen noted that in both the fall and spring Club Fair, YAL had great turnouts, and members were able to talk with interested students. The club meets Thursdays at 5 p.m. in University Center Room 126.

“I am a feminist, and I like to advocate for women’s rights and minority rights, and this club is like a catalyst for me to make a difference,” Allen said. “I feel like if other people joined, they’d understand that this club is a stepping stone to doing great things.”

This semester’s fair was slightly different because the clubs’ tables were grouped together by interest. Ishida said that she liked the closer set-up.

“I’m right next to APISU, which I’m closely associated with. We hang out a lot and I think we have a lot to share,” she said.

Thomas Price, a freshman and founder of Totally Classic Movies, said the Club Fair encourages students to join a club they like or to start one that the campus doesn’t have. Price was involved in Totally Classic Movies during high school and decided to start one on campus.

“The purpose of the club is to introduce audiences to classic films that are 20 years [old] or older. We also like to show movies that are appealing to people of our generation,” said Price.

Totally Classic Movies meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in University Center Room 302. Last semester it showed several movies, including “Animal House,” “Fantasia” and “Breaking Away.”

Price said his favorite movies are “Casablanca” and Disney’s “Hercules,” noting that “Hercules” had the biggest turnout last November, with 30 people attending.

Tanner Parker and Connor Morgan, freshmen, attended the club fair last fall to see if there was a Magic club on campus. When they learned there wasn’t, they decided to start their own: Plainswalkers Guild.

Magic was the first trading card game, created by Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993. Parker and Morgan mentioned that Pokémon is heavily based on Magic.

“My dad used to play; in fifth grade, I found out they played at the library,” said Morgan.

“I was a big Yu-Gi-Oh! player and a lot of my friends started playing Magic. I was resistant at first, but got into it in my sophomore year of high school,” said Parker.

“If they used to play, have seen it played, have cards somewhere or have any interest in doing something intellectually stimulating, they should join,” added Morgan. The club meets Tuesdays at 6 p.m. in Café 65 and hosts biweekly tournaments.