Written by Amelie Goacher

On September 4th, the entire Upper School piled together to participate in the annual activities fair. With upperclassmen shamelessly begging for recruits to join their clubs and lowerclassmen delighting in the hordes of sweets bribing them to sign up, the activity fair enabled students to connect across different grades, interests, and friendship groups. 

For the new freshmen, this opportunity to connect was a key part of their introduction to the Upper School. Despite the “hectic” environment, Peyton Richardson ’28 still found it an exciting and inspiring environment. As all grades flocked into the chaotic scene of club representatives vying for attention and students scrambling to each table, the pandemonium took many freshmen by surprise. “It was overwhelming but definitely fun,” said Sydney Richardson ‘28, as she met “people who were older” and discovered students who she “didn’t even realize knew (her) name.” Due to this positive experience, both girls “signed up for a lot” of clubs and expressed real excitement about participating in the clubs. Their enthusiasm and willingness demonstrate the value of the activities fair, providing opportunities to try new things and forge new friendships across grade levels. Looking ahead in their journeys at RCDS, both girls expressed interest in founding their own clubs to explore their unique interests more deeply, suggesting a promising future for the fair.

While enthusiasm for the event remained strong among seniors, doubts about the seriousness of committing to clubs at this stage were raised. Although everyone clearly enjoyed the fair, given the ruckus it produced, some questioned the legitimacy of its impact. Despite a widespread belief in the importance of the fair in community building, turnout to clubs after sign-ups is the true testament to whether the fair served its purpose. Ambika Nott ‘25 agreed the fair itself was an excellent experience, allowing her to have “full conversations with people [she]didn’t even know the names of and talking to them like [they] had a long-standing relationship.” This shows the vibrancy and welcoming nature of all those at RCDS, from top to bottom, with everyone greeting “people who they would have never spoken to.”  Running her own stall this year (keep an eye out for Omega), Ambika embraced the fun and enthusiasm of this event. However, when asked whether she thought the subscribers to her club would translate into real members, her answer was simple: “No.” Instead, she explained how by forming “eye contact you’ve basically agreed to sign up” and are thereby bound to do so. This approach, she suggested, diminishes the likelihood of attracting individuals with a genuine interest in committing to the club. As a senior in this community, her reflection raises the question of whether the activities fair has become an arbitrary event. Is it simply a parade of information and candy, or does the fair still have legitimate meaning?

This is something the RCDS community will discover for themselves in the coming weeks. Not every class is the same, and, with a special focus on connection this year, there may be a surprisingly good turnout based on the freshman reflections. The clubs are an excellent opportunity to forge unlikely friendships and build a unique repertoire of interests. With a diverse range of clubs open to all members of the community, the fair is a great way to encourage students to check out clubs they would never have thought to explore. By all accounts, it was a bit of fun; let’s see if it translates to more than that this year.