When you think of an adventure of a lifetime, you probably don’t think about weekly meetings in the English Building. But for these members, Adventure Club holds a special place in their hearts.
Adventure Club is a low-commitment, social RSO at the University that aims to give its members a space to utilize their creativity in various situations.
Every week, the Adventure Club comes together to embark on a new adventure. Beforehand, they’re often told very little about the adventure that day. Whether it’s a puzzle, an improv show or a murder mystery, the Adventure Club experiences something new every week.
Often, the adventures are competitive with teams competing to come out on top.
The Adventure Club is divided into four teams: The Potatoes, The Scarabs, The Dactyls and The Jackals.
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The teams are categorized into two groups based on their personalities. The Potatoes and The Scarabs are considered the “normal” teams, while The Dactyls and The Jackals are deemed “quirky.”
Before joining the club, the executive board conducts an interview to determine which team one is placed on. As the club evolved over the years, the teams developed distinct personalities, so interviewees tried their best to match each member’s personality to a team.
“They’re definitely hard to put an exact label on,” said Emma Barrera, junior in LAS and executive board treasurer. “It’s not as simple as strict personality types. A lot of it is what is the current composition of the team, and with these new people, do we think they would get along with each other?”
Once the executive board places members on teams, this is where members connect the most.
Lauren Muszynsky, senior in LAS and co-captain of The Dactyls, has been a member of Adventure Club since her freshman year. She has met her roommates and numerous friends through the club.
“I love them dearly,” Muszynsky said. “I wouldn’t have met them if it weren’t for this club.”
According to Hans Manganti, junior in LAS and president of Adventure Club, camaraderie runs deep within the club.
“I loved the vibes here and the mystery of it all,” Manganti said. “Also, because of all the friends I’ve made along the way.”
Manganti said that he was looking for a different scene in college, and in Adventure Club, he found one that best aligned with his interests.
All three members share similar experiences when it comes to finding others to connect with in the club. This is also true of many others.
According to Barrera, people have met their lifelong partners through Adventure Club.
“We had a couple get married last year,” Barrera said. “Then we have two former captains who are going to get married sometime soon.”
Barrera compared the club’s sociality to that of a fraternity. She enjoys being in a closed group and seeing the same people every week. In her experience with other clubs, she believes Adventure Club has provided her with this setting.
The members of the club offer each other a great deal of companionship.
“If you’re not willing to care for other people, then you’re not going to make it in this club,” Barrera said.
On the surface, the club participates in “silly activities,” but upon closer examination, one can see the unique aspects that set it apart.
In every RSO, there’s something that keeps people going back. For the Adventure Club, it’s the people.
“I think it’s the people that make it very special,” Muszynsky said.
This is a common feeling among the Adventure Club. Manganti said he couldn’t agree more with Muszynsky.
“The club itself and what we do is great and all, but it’s really the people that bring it together because of the community that we’ve made,” Manganti said.
Manganti emphasized the collaboration and close-knit relationships within Adventure Club, as he thinks they are some of the special aspects of Adventure Club.
“I love the way that each of our teams created this subculture within the club, in addition to what we are as a whole,” Manganti said, “When we all come together on adventures, it all shines as something that you don’t really see in a lot of other RSOs.”
Witnessing the teams take on one adventure alone, one can see how the teams collaborated to meet their end goal. The fun everyone is having and the result of the close bonds formed along the way are especially highlighted in the adventures.
At the end of the adventures, members circle up to uphold a tradition: a fun, silly chant to mark the journey’s end.
“Here at Adventure Club, we are FAT. Feast. Adventure. Treasure,” they chant while kicklining. “Here at Adventure Club, we are FAT. Feast. Adventure. Treasure.”
