In the start of the fall semester, I join the eboard of the Activities Monogramming Board. I had no idea what I was getting into, like, at all. I just figured joining a major club on campus would be a meeting every so often and discussing the events on campus, but I was way wrong. APB is so much more. Being in the club and on the eboard showed me how much effort goes into putting on a weekend event to the colossal effort it takes to put on Spring concert. The determination, the people, and everything in between is what makes the club what it is.

Almost every weekend event is brought to you by APB. DIYs, bingo, trips off campus, and dances are all planned and brought to you by the eboard and general board members. The club is split into two groups: weekly and monthly. Monthly events are the huge ones, such as Fun Town, Semi, and Spring Concert. Weekly events are the smaller but more frequent, like DIY and bingo. Whether you are on monthly or weekly, you will be busy. The difference is how busy how often in a given week.

Planning the events are my favorite part of ABP. I love knowing what is going to be happening on campus long before everyone else does, but I have to put in a lot of time to be a part of the club. Eboard members are required to do office hours, which is when you sit in the APB office to work on events or answer questions if anyone happens to stop by, and in all honesty, they aren’t too bad. But on top of the office hours there are meetings. There is a meeting for the general board that happens every week, a meeting for the admins about every month, and an open meeting at the end of every month. Not to mention the requirements active members must reach, such as attending almost all meetings and staffing a certain amount of evenings. It is a lot. It’s less for a general member than an eboard, but it still takes up a fair amount of time.

However, the payoff is there. Not only can you put this on your resume, but APB has perks one can use every week. These rewards include getting first pick at crafts, front row seats, constant prizes, and connection. Before joining APB I had no understanding of clubs and organizations and who ran them. Now, after being on the eboard for a year, I know the ins and outs of the Campus Center and the employees of this school. You gain a lot more than meeting the headliner for spring concert by being on APB, you gain useful resources and knowledge about the school. I would have never learned how performers and hypnotists were brought to our campus if it weren’t for APB.

My new connections go further than the school. I made a lot of friends though the club, like most clubs. However, the friends I have made with APB have seen me at my worst and been there for me every step of the way, and not just for cub stuff. The members have helped me get though classes and tough times at home. To quote High School Musical “we’re all in this together.” If one member is struggling, another will help him or her out in any way possible. APB had some of the finest leaders at UNE, and it truly shows. I have learned so much from each one of them. APB has made me a stronger student, leader, and person. APB is truly a club to be reckoned with.