Looking at a list of Ryerson student groups is a daunting task; frankly, there are a lot of them, and it might be hard to explore those that interest you on a casual basis. Campus Groups Day, however, seemed to be tailor-made to fix this problem by placing numerous clubs and course unions in the quad for student perusal. Throw in some free food and it seems like an attractive offer: get fed while checking out what Ryerson has to offer while you’re not in classes. The move to the quad, changed from a gymnasium last year, was credited for increased attendance.
A side-effect of this gathering, however, serves to reunite people after the long summer break. “It’s a great way to just see everybody and just catch up!” said Kristy Thompson, one of the co-presidents of the Journalism Course Union. Walking around the quad, I could see this was true, with many people behind the club tables conversing with new and old friends alike. Some groups handed out buttons and stickers, while others had activities for interested parties to take part in; the Italian Students’ Association challenged people to guess how many pieces of penne was contained in a mason jar on their desk. “The [ISA] had 7 pages of signups. I’m so excited for them” said Amanda Cupido, proud Italian and member of the group. “A lot of first years took interest in getting involved.”
For the groups involved, a greater attendance to the event meant more interest in what they were offering, and healthier memberships to carry on the clubs in the future. After all, what would Ryerson be without things to do outside of class?