With over 300 clubs and societies run under the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA), and an abundance of club tables at Expo Carleton to visit, it can be easy to get lost in the crowd.
Here’s a breakdown from the Charlatan about some of Carleton’s niche clubs that students can consider joining:
CU Hiding Club
The CU Hiding Club is a club where students get together in a common area, such as the University Centre (UC), Loeb Building, or Richcraft Hall, and play a large game of hide-and-seek, sardines, or manhunt.
The club originally started during Charity LAN, an engineering event where, for 24 hours, students play video games in the UC Atrium to raise money for charity, according to CU Hiding club president Ariq Maclean.
He said that when the students got tired of staring at computer screens at 2 a.m., he and his friends suggested playing hide-and-seek in the UC.
“So, we ended up doing that for a while and it was a lot of fun,” Maclean said.
Between 30-40 people show up to the hide-and-seek games each meeting.
“Everyone loves a game of hide-and-seek with friends. It’s a fun time and a great stress reliever,” he said. “That’s why we started the club—that’s why our members keep coming back for more, and we hope we’ll have even more people come check it out for themselves.”
Streetwear and Sneaker Club
Streetwear enthusiasts and collectors can get to know fellow fashionistas in Carleton’s Streetwear and Sneaker Club.
“The people who started it were like-minded individuals with an interest in streetwear fashion and sneakers that came together and wanted to create something out of it,” Andrew Carr, Streetwear and Sneaker club’s event co-ordinator, said.
Carr said Carleton students can join the club’s Facebook group, where they can share their passion for the culture of fashion, discuss the release of new clothing and shoe lines, and buy, sell, and trade clothes with other members of the group.
The club also has a merchandise site, and their design co-ordinator executive is in charge of coming up with new concepts for their merchandise.
Carr said the types of events the club holds throughout the year can be anything from photo shoots in order to promote themselves on social media, to meet-and-greets for other Carleton students.
Ultimate Frisbee Competitive Club
The Ultimate Frisbee competitive club is a Carleton club that allows students to travel to different cities and play ultimate frisbee against other schools.
The team is comprised of the “A-Team,” where the more advanced players can join and the “B-Team,” where developing player can grow their skills throughout the year, according to A-Team captain Brittney Cooke.
“We often have members from B-team move up to A-team from year to year,” Cooke said.
The clubs participates in 6-8 tournaments a year, with three main tournaments happening in the fall term, and up to five taking place in the winter term.
In the fall term, students hoping to make it to national competitions can compete in other tournaments that lead up to the nation-wide competitions. Teams receive medals for their wins.
Due to the heavy cost of road trips to travel to these competitions, the club holds fundraisers throughout the year to fund their trips.
“We fundraise a few different ways, from pub nights to fundraising pages online to raffle ticket sales. Tournaments and travel cost our players a lot of money, so fundraising is incredibly important for our team,” Cooke said.
She added the club currently has a funding page set up on Carleton’s Future Funder website for anyone who would like to donate.
Book Ravens Club
Founded six years ago, Book Ravens was created when there weren’t any book clubs on campus.
They currently have 20 regular club members, but several other non-members are also active in the society.
Members of the Book Ravens read a chosen book each month. The club then splits the members into two smaller groups where they form discussion circles to discuss that month’s book.
“So, our meetings are generally comprised of discussing the book and then playing a book-themed game at the end,” Book Ravens president Hailey Macleod said.
Throughout the school year, Book Ravens holds at least three events.
In the past few years, the clubs has hosted the “December Book Giveaway,” where they wrap books and play a game of white elephant for the members, a silent auction where people can bid on local Ottawa area items, and an author meeting where the club will have an author of a book they read come in and talk to the club.
Grilled Cheese Social
According to their CUSA Hub page, the Grilled Cheese Social is a club where Carleton students get together to “socialize and eat grilled cheese once in a blue moon.”
The club’s page says it was formed last year, and currently has 10 students who are regular members, with Andrew Moore as the club administrator.
Natalie York, CUSA vice-president (internal), said clubs and societies have played a large role for her to personally adjust to university.
“I joined the ski club in my first year, and I felt that when I was going to come to Ottawa that I was not going to have any options to ski,” York said.
“It was so nice to get out of the city every week, and do something I love and meet so many friends that love that as well.”
She said clubs and societies play an important role for students to make friends.
“I think a lot of people just find a hobby out of [clubs] at the very least, and I think it’s really important while you’re in school to have a hobby, something to take you away from your studies and your work and everything,” York said.
Graphic by Paloma Callo
