There are more than 400 clubs available at the University of Oregon. It might be hard for students to know each and every one of them, and what they exactly do. 

Getting involved on campus and finding a support system here in Eugene is a crucial part of the college experience, especially for new students. Finding your people can be difficult for some, but by joining extracurricular activities on campus, students can get involved with the campus community and celebrate common interests. 

The student body at the UO is very large, and some freshmen may feel like a small fish in a big pond. Clubs and organizations provide a smaller community within the student body that may be more approachable and less intimidating. 

With so many options available on Engage, finding the right ones can be challenging. Not all of the clubs hold tables at the annual Club Fair, so it can be difficult to locate more niche organizations for specific interests or activities. 

Here’s a list of some of the most unique, interesting and under the radar clubs for Ducks returning to campus. 

Neurodiversity Alliance 

The Neurodiversity Alliance aims to provide a welcoming community and a safe space for neurodivergent students on and off-campus. Leah Blankenship, the club’s founder, said that neurodivergent students can be more likely to struggle during their first year of college. To change this, Blankenship started the Neurodiversity Alliance.

 The group interacts in several ways — with weekly in-person meetings and a constantly buzzing Discord server. The goal of the club is to provide support for neurodivergent students and neurodivergent allies who are going through the rough transition into college.

According to Blankenship, the group aims to help its members with self-advocacy and getting in touch with professors, as well as other tasks that can be more difficult for neurodivergent students. The group also has many goals for raising awareness on campus.

“The thing that helped me get through college was making a really solid group of neurodivergent friends. That completely changed my perception of myself and my perception of how I should feel about being neurodivergent,” Blankenship said. “I thought that if every freshman that came on campus had the access to that community of people that understand what they’re going through and can support them, that [it] would dramatically increase neurodivergent student success on campus.”

The group also holds several events throughout the year. A crowd favorite is the interest fair, where students can present on a personal interest of theirs, science fair style. The club is open for anyone to join, online or in person. They meet every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in 102 Peterson Hall. 

Forbidden Fruit

Established in 1995, this unique club at UO serves as the shadow cast for the “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Members perform the show live in front of the screen, complete with eccentric costumes and audience participation.

According to cast member Vada Shelby, audiences should be advised to “leave their expectations at the door.” Performing the cult classic “Rocky Horror” is a time-honored tradition, celebrated for its quirky dance numbers and endearing characters.

“’Rocky Horror’ is all about being proud of who you are and celebrating everybody’s uniqueness,” Shelby said. “Forbidden Fruit especially, is a space where a lot of queer and queer-welcoming people can get together and express themselves and create fun art together as a community.”

The club invites anyone interested in exploring new experiences to come to their shows or audition. They are seeking cast and crew members, so if you’re interested in getting a bite of forbidden fruit and finding a fun community to be a part of on campus, check them out. Auditions will be held on Thursday, Oct. 3. 

K.Aire

K.Aire is the UO’s K-pop dance team. The team performs at various events throughout the school year and holds a big showcase at the end of spring term, complete with solo, duo and group performances. The group has also held workshops to bring K-pop dancing to the student community. Welcoming all skill levels, K.Aire works to make K-pop dance available and accessible at UO.

 Incorporating elements of different dance styles like hip-hop and jazz, K-pop dancing has exploded in popularity online. Dedicated members of K.Aire work hard to learn dance routines set to their favorite K-pop songs while wearing stylish outfits. The group recently released a collaborative dance cover on YouTube with Oregon State University’s K-pop dance team, Kinetic.  

Holly Renshaw, President of K.Aire, said, “I love being a part of the team because I get to do something I’m passionate about with really good friends of mine.”

With a vibrant social media presence and explosive performances, K.Aire is a fun extracurricular to get involved with on campus. 

Fall auditions for the team are coming up, so for those interested in jamming to K-pop hits, joining the team is a fun way to make some friends and dance your hearts out. To send in an audition, check out their Instagram account for their list of songs and other details.

AccessABILITY Student Union

The AccessABILITY Student Union works to establish a community for the disabled population on campus. Accommodations and navigating the Accessible Education Center can be confusing, but AASU works to provide support and guidance for students figuring it out.

The group also works to advocate for disability accommodations on campus and to provide a safe space for disabled individuals on and off campus to express their concerns and hang out.

“I’ve made some of my closest friends on campus through AASU because of the community there,” Luna Fera, leading co-director said. “There’s a lot of people there that have an ingrained understanding of how it goes when you’re a person with disabilities. It’s really nice.”

Meetings are held in person, but the hybrid option provides members an accessible option to attend via Zoom. 

The group also holds several events to build community, like a Dead Week de-stress event, where members can relax before finals and take a break from studying. The club has also coordinated with the Hilyard Community Center to hold an adaptive biking program, where students can gain access to accessible biking equipment.

The list of accessible and unique clubs on campus goes well beyond these four. From cult classic performances to interest fairs, the possibilities at UO are endless.