By Alexia Finney | Staff Writer
Late Night is a fun kickoff to the fall semester, a night to see friends, collect fun club merch and connect with dozens of student organizations. What students do not see is the preparation that goes into the event by members of various organizations in attendance.
Chicago senior Rajiv Edara, president of Baylor Buddies, said the preparation begins long before the event and requires months of planning and coordination.
“A lot of freshmen will see it and think it’s a one-evening thing,” Edara said. “From an organizational perspective, planning for it starts months in advance.”
Clifton, Va., senior Kate Tompkins, president of Women in Business, said she put a lot of effort into advertising her organization in advance.
“We have a tablecloth, and we always put pictures on a poster board with our events and what we’re about,” Tompkins said.
One of the challenges, Edara said, was talking to the hundreds of freshmen who walked by the booth and continuing to be engaging throughout the event.
“You need to have a lot of social energy to be able to talk to the hundreds of people walking by your stall, and keep their attention long enough to finish telling them about the club that you’re in,” Edara said. “Because there are so many clubs, it can be very overwhelming.”
Winston Salem, N.C., sophomore Rachel Petusky attended Late Night to find a new club to be a part of for her sophomore year. According to Petusky, everyone in attendance succeeded in keeping up the energy throughout the evening.
“I love how everyone is so excited to meet you and tell you about their club,” Petusky said. “You get so much helpful information.”
Despite the flurry of clubs and organizations on Fountain Mall and beyond, San Antonio freshman Addison Decker knew exactly what she was looking for.
“I’m looking for a badminton club,” Decker said. “There wasn’t a sport or club for it in my high school, but I love playing it.”
In the chaos of Late Night, Edara said it’s difficult to stand out against the other options for students.
“Your biggest thing is showing them that you’re different and a meaningful opportunity,” Edara says. “We stick to the facts and our experience to make it memorable for them.”
While Edara and Tompkins agreed that an event like Late Night takes a toll, Tompkins said she leans on the Women in Business executive team to manage all the responsibilities involved.
“My exec team is amazing,” Tompkins said. “We have meetings weekly, and I also meet with directors weekly. I meet with the adviser once a month as well to get support, so I definitely have help in a lot of areas regarding Women in Business.”
Though the preparation was taxing, Edara said it was all worth it to see the new students stopping by his booth.
“You could be doing a hundred other things on a Saturday night, but instead you’re choosing to be there because you want to give back to the Baylor community,” Edara said.
