College is an opportunity to explore all of your varied interests and closet passions — an opportunity to pursue your wack obsessions with an enthusiasm seldom seen, right?
Right. And these colleges can help. Our list of the top ten weirdest college societies, clubs and extracurriculars should point you in the right direction if you’re looking to try something different. Don’t see your “thing” here? Call it a club and become the founder. Chances are, your college has a process for it and it's easier than you think.
For the rest of us:
Carleton College’s Moustache Club
The fact that this club only existed for seemingly three years breaks our heart, as we wonder how someone didn’t come up with this decades ago and pursue it until today. Either way, cheers to the Moustache Carls, and toast to their growing season (ladies, you're invited too).
Shire of Grey Gargoyles Chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism at University of Chicago
Your first impression may be, “the heck?” But an ounce of deeper research unveils what this SCA chapter is all about: a group dedicated to the research and recreation of the Middle Ages in the present. What separates them from a Humanities class is they actually do stuff. According to their website, “to learn costuming, you design and build costumes. To learn SCA infantry fighting, you make armor, weapons, shields, etc., and put them on and go learn how it feels to wear them when somebody is swinging a (rattan) sword at you. To learn brewing, you make (and sample!) your own wines, meads and beers.” We’re in.
UK’s University of Sussex “The Nicolas Cage Appreciation Society”
Ok, this one hasn’t gained great traction since 2004, but we’ve got to include it. The Nick Cage Appreciation Society’s Facebook page says it best in their About section: “Something about how Nicolas Cage is the greatest actor to have ever lived. We are the Scholars of Cage gathering all images of his grace and beauty.” We’re curious what the male/female ratio of members is, and something tells us we’d be surprised.
Campus People Watchers at University of Minnesota
We love the Campus People Watchers because they’re not afraid to make a club out of everyone’s guilty pleasure: staring at strangers. Everyone people watches, they say, and they encourage joining a club that normalizes the behavior. The non-profit, “non-creepy” club do more than just stare, however. People Watchers are looking to experience group psychology, write critiques on it, and delve into the culture of UM. According to the club’s website, they “focus on FUN, as we are also a non-boring organization!!!” We dig it.
University of Oregon’s U R Awesome Club
Positive vibes only. This club may be the easiest to join — as long as you have a positive attitude and you’re down to make friends. Eagerness to spread the love and kindness across campus also helps. So what does the club actually do? They can be seen around campus wearing colorful, tie-dye shirts, giving out free hugs, high fives and fist bumps, hosting bubble-wrap popping events, and spearheading maybe their most famous event: “speed-friending.”
Dignified Educated United Crust Eaters Society, Western Michigan University
Because they care enough to add at least three additional adjectives to their club’s title, the Dignified Educated United Crust Eaters gets our #1 ranking. Who needs sauce and cheese anyway?
The Cheese Club - Many Colleges
We’ll tell you who needs cheese. It started at one school and spread — because, cheese. NYU, Cornell, and loads more schools have installed their own Cheese Clubs, because there’s something about cultured milk no one can deny. (Vegans, we apologize). Cheese clubs typically make cheese, talk about cheese, invite guests with cheese expertise to speak at meetings, and… eat cheese.
The Rock-Paper-Scissors Club at University of Kentucky
Just watch the video.
The Squirrel Club at University of Michigan
We’ll bet the The Squirrel Club gets so many recruits they may have to turn away members. Who doesn’t want to feed a squirrel? No one. According to the club’s website, “by 2004, the Squirrel Club was one of the largest student organizations at Michigan with over 400 members—and our ranks continue to grow.” We particularly like their mission statement: “We are dedicated to the feeding and welfare of the squirrels on campus, and we publicize this goal through awesome t-shirts, too.”
The Tree Musketeers at Northern Michigan University:
They do more than swing from branches. NMU’s Tree Musketeers discuss the varieties of tree-climbing technique as well as vote on locations for future adventures. And they’re philanthropic, advocating on behalf of environmental issues.
