This column is supposed to be about my first Quad Day experience, but to be honest, I can’t quite remember mine even though it’s been only two years.

It’s probably because I blocked this painful experience from my memory. It was a colorful blur of sweltering heat, sweat, elbow jabs from passers-by attempting to squeeze through the crowds and yelling students trying to promote their clubs – properly known as a Registered Student Organization.

I went to high school in Hong Kong, known for its high population density. Walking anywhere in the center of Hong Kong is chaotic because of the mass number of people. It’s overwhelming and claustrophobic.

Now, I’ve been thinking of ways to communicate how hectic and crazy Quad Day is, and the only comparison to how many people gathered in a limited space is Hong Kong. It just feels like the some 40,000 students that compose the student body at the University are all on the Quad.

Everyone is there.

By the end of my first Quad Day, I had a bag of RSO flyers and pamphlets, free pens and free magnets.

I was so eager to meet people and participate in new activities that I signed up for an impossible number of RSOs.

And by the end of the year, I had hundreds of unopened e-mails from the different clubs I signed up for, varying from a horticulture club to a theater and drama club. I never went to any of those meetings.

Everything aside, I went again sophomore year. After another year of ignoring a lot of e-mails, I’m still planning on going again this year and even senior year.

Quad Day is a campus-wide event that everyone should feel obligated to attend. It’s the only time of the year when most RSOs and non-profit organizations on campus come together and inform the student body of their purpose and recruit members.

It’s an opportunity for students with common interests to meet in a safe, social setting and work together to further develop a student-led organization.

I’m not the best role model because I didn’t take advantage of the 800-plus organizations there are on campus.

There is an organization for everyone based on any interest any person may have. Are you a fan of watching the Price is Right? Well, there is a club for it. Want to go skydiving? Go ahead! Don’t have plans for spring break yet? Look into Alternative Spring Break.

Every year, I tell myself to join more clubs, but I never do. Maybe this time around, I won’t be annoyed with the bombardment of e-mails and actually open them to find out more. Maybe this year, I’ll actually commit to a new club and attend the meetings.

Quad Day may be overwhelming and even intimidating, but it’d be worthwhile to meet new people, try new things and create more memories. Some of these experiences may even be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Maybe this year I’ll even try skydiving.