If you have ever been on any of the tours at the University for prospective students, you are well aware of the general spiel the guides like to give:

“There are so many clubs at UIUC, there is even a squirrel watching club!”

And then your parents will laugh, and then they will continuously ask you out of irony: “Ha — you should join the squirrel watching club.”

Sorry, Dad, but that is actually just a marketing ploy every college campus with a squirrel population likes to sell in order to get your kid to enroll. Aside from the squirrel watching club, the student tour guides are right about the fact that there are so many clubs on campus. Here is a rule that I’ve come up with to find out if there is a certain RSO on campus: If a hobby exists—there is more than likely a club for it here on campus. Here are a few interesting clubs to get you started.

Underwater Hockey Club

Field hockey… ice hockey… underwater hockey? Yes, there is a club for the sport, underwater hockey. Underwater hockey consists of wearing a scuba mask, flippers and welding a small, plastic, or wooden stick. It is pretty much exactly what you think, hockey underwater. This club holds its practices at the ARC indoor pool. You can find out more by clicking here.

Outdoor Adventure Club

If you are a person who is interested in the outdoors, you are probably aware that Illinois can be boring for hiking. The Outdoor Adventure Club is the club to join if you want to get away from Illinois and go on an adventure to other places on the weekends or extended breaks. OAC drives all across the United States, from Arizona to Massachusetts. Activities involve canoeing, hiking and camping. Although the club may not be active this semester due to COVID, you can fill out an interest form here.

Gluten Free Illini Club

Are you a student who is gluten-free and is looking for a community based on a gluten-free lifestyle? Then be sure to check out the Gluten Free Illini club! Here, students can gather and share their own experiences on how to live gluten-free on campus. The club helps you find dining options around campus. You can contact [email protected] for more information.

Kendo Club

If you aren’t familiar with Kendo, Kendo is basically the Japanese form of fencing. The semi-contact sport involves the use of bamboo swords called shinai and armor called bogu. In tournaments, points are scored by hitting a specific body part of your opponent and calling it out. Unlike most sports, Kendo is more than about winning. Practitioners view it as a great way to train a healthy body and mind. The UIUC Kendo Club is full of kendo enthusiasts who come together to build upon their skills and find camaraderie through practice. The club’s email is [email protected]

There are so many more clubs to be found. If you want to find more, you can search up your interests by clicking the link below. https://union.illinois.edu/get-involved/rso-handbook/u-of-i-connections

[email protected]