On Friday, September 12, Oakland Tech hosted its annual Club Day on the football field where clubs competed for the most sign-ups and students raced to be the most involved.
Every year, Oakland Tech’s ASB embarks on the harrowing journey of reviewing potential clubs. Ms. Alexis, serving as King Arthur, and her noble knights of ASB gathered at the Round Table (the Annex), and deliberated on which clubs were worthy of knighthood as official Oakland Tech clubs. Spoiler: all were accepted.
For weeks, or days for those who procrastinated, clubs planned on how to attract the most members. Students’ time on Instagram hit its peak, flyers covered every surface of Tech, and Costco saw bands of teenagers come in day after day to buy the best snacks in bulk. Soon enough, Club Day was upon us. In the classroom, students chattered among themselves in anticipation, though not all of it was hopeful.
“These clubs are kinda wack,” muttered a junior, already skeptical of what was to come.
Still, the bell rang and skepticism transformed into curiosity as students poured onto the football field. Tables were lined up along the track in a semi circle while the field was coned off with an unamused Ms. Alexis in the center. Displays burst with vibrant colors, the smell of sticky sweets intensified as the sun blazed, and the sounds of tables scraping against the track could be heard as students crowded booths. As we walked, we took notice of the recurring discussion of Club Day’s new location and while many favored it, not everyone was a fan.
“Honestly, I feel like it’s more effective in the front,” said sophomore Amalia Leeds. “A lot more people tend to go to lunch outside than actually come to study hall.”
Some clubs went the extra mile in their recruitment methods. YOLO Club had a perky set-up and a brief lightsaber vs. Silly String duel, while the rowing team brought out rowing equipment for students to test out. Other popular clubs included: Women in Stem, Cheese Club, Artsy Fartsy, and UNICEF.
Being in a bunch of clubs is cool, but if we are being real, the true mystery is the people behind them. We like to call them “Serial Clubbers,” and we underestimated just how many were among us. This term does not only apply to students but teachers as well, with Club Say serving as their natural habitat.
“I thought I already joined this,” said one Serial Clubber. “I joined like a bazillion clubs.”
Our definition of a Serial Clubber is: a student or teacher who cannot resist joining, running, or hosting multiple clubs. These people are often seen juggling a classroom turned storage closet, supervising activities, and hosting the once-in-a-blue-moon meeting that half of Tech’s student body decides to attend for a free meal (just pizza).
By the end of the afternoon, tables were ransacked, sign up sheets were filled, and the overinvolved-aholics had struck again—until next year’s Club Day, of course.