Club Night Showcases Student Life
New and returning students flocked to Love Gym this past Saturday to attend the Academy’s annual Club Night. Students explored a multitude of options, from the Environmental Action Committee—which decorated its table with basil plants—to Mock Trial’s rows of colorful trophies.
Club Night is an annual event which showcases the variety of student-run organizations on campus. Each club has its own booth where students can sign up for extracurriculars.
“When you arrive as a new student it is hard to know where to start,” she said. “To have one night where you can see all the clubs kind of lets you catch up.”
New lower Leila Erhili appreciated the opportunity to see the clubs Exeter has to offer. “When you arrive as a new student it is hard to know where to start,” she said. “To have one night where you can see all the clubs kind of lets you catch up.”
Prep Kiesse Nanor found that some clubs effectively advertised their booths by offering students food when they signed up. “Because I got cookies, I also joined some clubs that I wouldn’t have otherwise signed up for,” she said. “For example, I wouldn’t have joined the radio club. They seem really interesting, and I’m excited to get started.”
Club Night also proved helpful for returning students. Returning upper Jasper Ludington noted that he saw several clubs he had not noticed in his previous two years. “I saw some clubs I didn’t know existed because they are not the more prominent clubs, but they’re just as interesting, if not more,” he said.
Even four-year seniors took the opportunity to try something new. Senior Priscilla Ehrgood signed up for beekeeping club. “I found out about beekeeping club when I saw a jar of Exeter honey in Grill with my friend. We both thought that it would be a lot of fun to join the club and know that we had contributed to making a jar of honey,” she said. “On Club Night, I accidentally signed both [my friend and me] up after she had already signed both of us up because we were so excited.”
One prominent new club this year is Exeter Unites. According to club head senior Alayna Thomas, the club’s email list yielded over 180 sign-ups. Inspired by the international non-governmental organization Global Unites, Exeter Unites aims to build community for Exonians. “I knew that there was a place for an organization like this in our community at Exeter. We have struggled to dissolve the tensions that exist here,” Thomas said. “This reality is evident during election season, last year’s MLK [Day] assembly, and in the daily lives of many Exonians.”
Upper Emily Gaw started a club called Switch—an empathy club designed to help Exonians to understand one another’s experiences. “Switch is open to everyone, the entire Exeter community; students, faculty, and staff, but was not specifically founded to be a club for transgender students,” she said.
Some clubs experienced difficulties recruiting new members. Ludington, who is the cohead of Rugby Club, noted that it was challenging for his club to grow substantially. “We struggled to diversify our group,” he said. “[Rugby club] might be the kind of club that has a very specific brand; people might be intimidated by the nature of it. We don’t want it to be a toxic environment.”
Despite some issues, students classified the night as a success. “Along with signing up for clubs, I also got to make new friends with coheads at Club Night,” Senior Arun Wongprommoon said. New upper Isabel Hou also described how the club heads set a welcoming atmosphere for students. She said, “I could tell that they truly loved their clubs and that their primary goal was to share that love with potential members.”