Students were packed wall to wall inside the Ohio Stadium concourse at the annual Ohio State Student Involvement Fair yesterday, which featured giveaways, music, entertainment and all kinds of exhibitions showing students the types of things they can participate in on campus.
More than 500 student organizations, clubs, campus offices and businesses attended the fair, handing out everything from pens to posters to anyone interested.
“I would say this is one of the best things we can do the first day,” said Keith Culbertson, a graduate student and member of the Filipino Martial Arts and Jeet Kune Do Club. “It gives everyone a taste of what’s going on here at OSU.”
Culbertson said he had personally talked to more than 100 people and had handed out many flyers to the people passing by.
“It’s very exciting and it’s fun to be here,” he said. “We’re just hoping to get some interest and have some people show up at the first meeting or two.”
The fair was also a place to find out more information about how to support a certain political party or candidate. There were Bush and Kerry stickers galore.
A group calling itself “Billionaires for Bush” walked around the concourse in fancy clothing toting signs that ironically urged people to “drop out” of college because it’s not important to the current government leaders.
There were also George W. Bush supporters who carried around a near life-size cardboard cutout of the President, asking for people to vote during the upcoming election.
Traditionally, the involvement fair has been held outside on the Oval, but since it is still being renovated the fair was held inside the concourse of Ohio Stadium.
Despite the tight space restrictions and the lack of direct sunlight, people were making the most of the situation.
“This is a little more organized, in terms of the people having to go by everybody, but I kind of like the Oval because I’m in Tae Kwan Do Club and we like to do demonstrations and break things,” said Erin McDaniel, a fourth year graduate student and member of the Kukki Tae Kwan Do Club. “It’s easier to break things when so many people aren’t around.”
Britani Bishop and Lisa Doyle of the Buckeye Memory Makers Scrapbooking Club agreed that the atmosphere on the Oval was definitely better, but being inside the stadium allows for more structure.
“It was a lot more organized this year, and I like how we’re spread out more,” Bishop said. “Last year, since it rained and everything, it was completely hectic, but this year I think it will go a lot better.”
For more information go to www.ohiounion.com/welcomeweek
