Judging from the number of clubs with table displays (74); the number of days dedicated to the event (four); and the number of students who crowded the quad during lunch from Sept. 21 to 24, it’s safe to say that this years’ Club Rush was a hit. 

“It feels like all the work and stress paid off,” Ronit Beri, junior, and Club Rush Commissioner, said. Beri was especially pleased with the large student turnout and the number of clubs that participated.

To prevent overcrowding due to the large number of clubs, ASB split the week into themes: Tuesday featured academic clubs; Wednesday had hobby-related clubs; Thursday promoted language, culture, and identity clubs; and Friday featured service clubs.

Clubs used clever methods to attract attention to their tables. Surf Club held a raffle for a surfboard; Club PAW passed out popsicles to help students beat the 97-degree heat; and Podcast Club enticed students with games of “This or That.”

Most clubs relayed information, mostly via tri-fold poster boards and flyers, on how to join their group, from meeting times, to Remind codes, to Google Classroom codes, to Instagram accounts. Clubs also presented informational slideshows on the Club Rush 2021-2022 Google Classroom.

“It’s important to be connected to school beyond just what you do in the classroom,” Pam Valenti, ASB advisor, said. Valenti encourages students to join clubs because joining clubs helps students feel like they’re a part of a community. “Students who are more connected have better attendance, better grades, better success [overall],” Valenti added.

As Science Olympiad president, Partrick Tsai, senior, is well aware of the benefits of belonging to a club. Tsai said that “connecting with a team” and “learning about the different fields in science” are two ways he’s benefited from belonging to clubs. 

Katherine Dizon, freshmen, and Music Healers board member, also hopes to benefit in the year ahead. “I’m most looking forward to helping out the community [by] doing the thing that I love, music,” Dizon said.

“The rest of the year will be great,” Beri concluded about the multi-day event. “We had a great turnout [for] Club Rush, and I believe students are eager to join clubs they are passionate for.”