The Virtual Involvement Fair was one of the first virtual events I was genuinely excited to be a part of as a Mercyhurst freshman.

Normally you think that being there in person is the best way to find your calling and meet new people, but not necessarily.

I first discovered the Virtual Involvement Fair through the many emails sent out to our Laker email addresses.

If you’re not the type of person to stay on top of emails, it’s also on the home page of The Hub. In fact, it’s still there and it’s not too late to join!

It’s a small icon now depicting a tent and a Bitmoji saying “Welcome to the Virtual Involvement Fair.”

Click on this and it will open the site.

Now you can navigate different types of clubs including academic, cultural and diversity, service and honors, leadership and campus organizations and finally recreation and special interest clubs.

In fact, if you would like to join The Merciad, we’re under the “leadership and campus organizations” tab.

To hear about any of the clubs you can click on the club and there will be an informational video about it.

There’s a link to enter your name and email address into a form, and you should hear from them shortly.

It’s a wonderful, pandemic-safe alternative to the real thing. Plus, it’s not like if you’re sick one day you won’t hear about the clubs.

It’s so easy and fun and can be done from the comfort of anywhere you like.

For me personally, I sat on my bed in my pajamas with a face mask on, while enjoying a cup of decaf English Breakfast tea; it was like my own little spa. The fairy lights and sunset only added to the ambiance. I couldn’t do that during a typical Involvement Fair!

I’m going to be straight here, I signed up for an impossible number of clubs.

What can I say? There are a lot of interesting clubs on campus. I mean, why not get a taste of them all? It’s not like I am stuck in them forever.

I am most excited about Art Therapy club. For several years now, I’ve wanted to be in a club like this.

I tried to start one back home at my high school, but ultimately was unable to gain enough interest to make it a reality. It doesn’t matter though because here I am today ecstatic to do art, despite not being an art major or in any form of art class this semester.

The best feeling is to paint or draw with friends while chatting about anything and everything.

I may not have any friends in the club, but that was no reason not to join. I’ll make friends because we all share a common interest: a love of art.

One of my goals here at Mercyhurst is to start my own club within the next couple years: Ghost hunting.

I’ve been hearing a lot of people saying the buildings around here are haunted, so why not?

You don’t have to believe in ghosts, it’s just a fun and spooky experience that I can’t wait to make happen.

Look for it and me at next year’s Involvement Fair, however that may look.