After a virtual event last year, MSC Open House returned to campus on Sept. 5 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., giving students the chance to browse organizations and clubs that interest them.
Hosted by MSC Hospitality, MSC Open House is a student involvement fair that takes place both in the spring and fall. The fall semester Open House is typically larger, with over 400 participating organizations each year. On Sunday, the highly anticipated in-person event gave organizations the opportunity to reach thousands of students, many who are anxious to get involved after periods of isolation due to COVID-19.
Animal science freshman Olivia Bell said her MSC Open House experience exceeded her expectations.
“I was expecting a lot of clubs and organizations, but I feel like there’s an overwhelming amount,” Bell said. “They [were] on the first floor, second floor and all around Simpson Drill Field.”
Though Bell said she came with an open mind, she said she hoped to visit the booth for Saddle and Sirloin Club, a networking organization that has been around since 1940 for those interested in livestock and agriculture.
“I did see Saddle and Sirloin, which is the main one I was here for,” Bell said. “That was who I wanted to see, so I was glad I found it.”
Especially for those who are new on campus, Bell said it is important to put down roots.
“One, it’s a mental health thing because I am in that transition phase of leaving my parents and being on my own, so getting involved can make you feel supported,” Bell said. “It will also help me not be scared of going out and doing new things.”
Excited to get more involved on campus, mathematics freshman Emma Boyd said MSC Open House was larger and busier than she anticipated.
“So far, it’s a lot more overwhelming than I thought it would be, but not completely different than I thought,” Boyd said. “The one I was here to see is Aggie Belles … I also looked a lot at the [Freshman Leadership Organizations].”
Boyd said the event offered a chance to venture out of her comfort zone and expand her circle of friends.
“I’m already in a sorority, so I know I’ll have good girl relationships, but I wanted to have some co-ed friends so I have more of a friend group,” Boyd said. “That’s why I was looking at FLOs, because I just want to get more involved in general.”
At the Texas A&M Model United Nations booth, computer science junior Preston Malaer said the experience of those participating in Open House with their organization is very different from the experience of those looking for an organization.
“We made the poster board, so we spent some time beforehand to get that sorted out,” Malaer said. “We also had to sign up for the booth and communicate with MSC Open House. We had to set up 30 minutes prior, and we’ve been here since noon.”
In his experience, Malaer said joining a club or organization can greatly change the path of your college career.
“Whenever you’re in college, it’s really easy to just kind of go through the motions,” Malaer said. “I think if you want to leave your mark, it’s important to be involved in things like this so that you have your own memories and can impact campus.”
Additionally, students who did not make it to the event on Sunday and are wanting to know more about student organizations on campus should look into the virtual Open House occurring throughout the week on the MSC Open House Instagram.
