The Post curated a list of clubs for the incoming freshmen to check out
After a three-month recess, starting off from square one is not the easiest task. The thought of sauntering around campus with a bemused look can be daunting to freshmen. Ohio University provides a myriad of opportunities to engage in campus life and to find a niche.
The different clubs provide an inclusive atmosphere and enable individuals to apply the skills learned in academic environments to exciting avenues, Seth Canan, a freshman studying music production, said.
With more than 500 student organizations, incoming students will have plenty to choose from — the options range from fraternities and sororities to clubs dedicated to magic, broomstick-based sports and Harry Potter.
“As a freshman, you really have to put yourself out there," Chloe Smith, a sophomore studying political science and women and gender studies, said. "It’s like being back in kindergarten, trying to figure out how to build friendships. The clubs offer a networking aspect that smoothens your experience."
The Post has curated a few of many clubs and organizations for the incoming freshmen to join.
Ohio University Harry Potter Alliance
The Harry Potter Alliance is a club where one can find and explore the wizarding world with like-minded people.
“(Harry Potter) has been a part of almost everyone’s childhood in one way or another,” Aliza Ali, the president of the club, said. “The club acts as a space for people with similar interests to interact and connect.”
Apart from infatuation with Professor Snape’s potions and Fred and George Weasley’s antics, the club is actively involved in several philanthropic exercises. Each year the group hosts book drives and charity Yule Balls intended to collect money for donation, Ali, a sophomore studying biological sciences and world religions, said.
Quidditch
If one is looking for an activity more physically strenuous, the solution is to jump on a broomstick. Quidditch, the sport, is an adaptation of the game featured in the popular fantasy series Harry Potter. It is a gender-neutral and full-contact sport that is now recognized internationally.
“(Quidditch) is a unique game,” Ryan Scott, the president and captain of the Quidditch club, said. “Its nature is immensely inclusive. Both males and females play in the same team.”
Quidditch was initiated as a professional sport in 2005. He described the sport as a combination of “basketball, rugby, lacrosse and dodgeball.”
Clay Shannon, a member of the Ohio University Quidditch Club and an undecided sophomore, said the players work in teams to throw a quaffle ball through one of three hoops present at the two ends of the court.
The Period Project
The Period Project, or TPP, is a welfare organization which was first initiated in Athens, Ohio. It aims to provide period products to underprivileged women, as well as to start a discourse about women’s menstrual health.
"Our mission is to advocate for the elimination of taxes on such products that are often termed as 'luxury items,' " Maddie Sloat, the founder of The Period Project, said.
Sloat, a freshman studying political communication, stressed the power of grassroots activism. Women may solely be the users of menstrual products, but its consequences can be felt by everyone, she said.
"It's not simply a female cause," Sloat said. "Men whose lives are interlinked with the women around them are affected by the unaffordability of (feminine hygiene products) as well."
Ohio University Magician's Association
A relatively new club on campus, Ohio University Magician's Association, has hosted several successful shows over a span of a semester.
Jacob Williamson, the club’s founder and president, said the club is interested in a myriad of tricks. There is a budding interest in mixing science and tricks together to create illusions.
"It's a fun group," Williamson, a junior studying astrophysics and mathematics, said. "We meet and discuss the art behind the craft and essentially promote (magic) as a form of entertainment."
Learning the secrets behind some of the most staggering illusions is a rewarding way to pass time, he said.
Greek Life
According to the university's website, the campus is a host to more than 30 social fraternities and sororities.
"Networking is vital for my major as well as many others," Lauren Osborn, a freshman studying retail merchandising and fashion product development, said. "(Delta Gamma) gave me that opportunity."
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Osborn said the value of Greek life doesn't end at networking — it allows individuals to engage in various other activities, such as charity work and fundraising.
"We are always there for each other," she said. "It is like having a close-knit family here on campus."
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