Clubs & Societies Fair 2025: A Fair Truly Unlike Any Other

Safiyyah Mitha
Oct 11
3 min read

I’d heard plenty about the Clubs and Societies Fair before coming to campus, but seeing it in person on October 2nd and 3rd was something else entirely, and as my first big university event, it definitely did not disappoint! The moment I stepped into the humid, music-filled noisy maze of booths, I knew I was in for an experience. Each determined to check out every club before the day ended, students poured into the buildings of UNM like a stampede. Both days to me felt chaotic, exciting, and strangely a little cinematic. Somewhere in the back of my mind, the Monsters University theme song was playing on loop.

Despite some last-minute changes and compromises made thanks to the rain, every single club managed to pull through, making the atmosphere very upbeat! The fair stretched across the center of campus, filled with everything from food trucks and music performances to games and photobooths. For a Foundation student like me attending my very first big university event, it was the perfect introduction to uni life.

Stepping Into The Maze

Walking through the fair felt like stepping into a dozen different dimensions at once. Each booth seemed to have its own personality. One moment I was in F1, surrounded by the buzz of media, nature, and religious societies, and the next, I was weaving through clusters of sports clubs playing on the grass as special-interest and cultural societies called out to passing students. Somewhere between the academic societies in Block D and the non-academic ones at the campus center, I realized just how diverse student life at UNM truly is!

Highlights of My CS Fair Experience

Representing the IGNITE Magazine booth at F1 was a personal highlight. Our setup featured an IGNITE embellished, selfie worthy mirror, a stack of adorable stickers, and plenty of curious students dropping by to pitch article ideas (some of which were honestly awesome by the way). Seeing people’s interest in student media, hanging out with my team, and seeing students excited about having a platform to share their voices made me proud to be part of this magazine.

Beyond my own wanderings, the fair had no shortage of cool standout moments. Over at Building B, performances by the Music Society and Dance Society kept the crowd moving. The Cheerleading society also really caught my eye, with their awesome routines.

Elsewhere, the Motorsport Club stole the spotlight with two crazy cars that had everyone reaching for their phones. The Conspiracy Theory Society made their presence known— quite literally, with members donning capes and doing tarot readings. And who could miss the Basketball Society’s life-sized cardboard figure of Lebron James, casually watching over their booth?

The Cultural Societies added their own flair too, from the Egyptian Society’s boxing game machine (which could be heard from halfway across campus) to booths representing traditions from every corner of the world, and it was lovely to see that!

Sugar, Cameras, and the UNM Spirit

If there was one universal feature of this fair, it was sugar. Every booth seemed to have its own stash of candy to lure visitors in, which was a marketing strategy that worked far too well. Students walked away with pockets full of sweets and new memberships in clubs they hadn’t even planned to join!

The fair was also a photographer’s dream spot. Everywhere you looked, students had digicams with them, posing with friends, and snapping booth setups. The photobooth at Building F1 had a queue so long it could’ve been mistaken for a concert line, but that didn’t stop people from waiting for their moment!

Meanwhile, the food trucks nearby kept everyone fueled. Shout out to the mac and cheese that kept me energised throughout the night!

I won’t lie, the first hours definitely felt overwhelming. Between the blaring speakers, the crowds, and the constant chorus of “Join our club!”, it almost felt like I was in an episode of Shark Tank. Every society had its pitch, special charm, and persuasive capabilities. But by the end of it, I found myself signing up for far more societies than I’d planned! Did I wish I could’ve joined even more? Heck yeah.

I left the fair exhausted, sticky from the heat, and with an inbox full of new club emails inviting me to WhatsApp groups and inductions, but also feeling incredibly content. It’s awesome having the opportunity to join and be a part of so many different communities.

If this was just the start of the academic year, I can’t wait to see what else this campus has in store. Here’s hoping everyone who worked hard (and attended!) gets their much-needed rest before the next round of campus events!