Field Notes # 3

Venture into Parlin, room 201 at 8 p.m. on any given Monday and you will find yourself at a Face Aids meeting, a meeting worth staying for. Having been involved in many student organizations, I have not had more fun or felt more excited to be part of a group than when I attended my first Face Aids meeting. Comradory is the first word that comes to mind when describing the dynamics of this organization, as each member is genuinely passionate in the cause and interested in doing whatever it takes to help fight AIDS/HIV globally. With 50 or so members in attendance and gathered in a small room, the overall tone of the meeting felt relaxed and intimate. Unlike the overly serious and stuffy meetings I am used to attending, Face Aids felt more like a group of close friends hanging out. Surprisingly though, a great deal was accomplished at the meeting as members are focused in between playful jabs at one another. The president was the clear leader of the meeting and directed a power point from a podium up front. However, he was not the main speaker as many members spoke as well. These students were the leaders of various small groups and committees with in the organization. My favorite part about the meeting was how involved students were, as the leaders received constant feedback from all members and nothing was passed with out the consent of everyone. Furthermore, at the end of the meeting we broke down into our groups, each of which have a different focus and priority they are working towards. In addition to meeting Monday's at 8, each small group meets individually. My group, for instance, plans to meet this week on Monday at 6 to play Apples to Apples. The use of small groups works well in that it helps members get to know one another better. Also, I noticed a friendly competition brewing as one group busted out in a cheer directed towards the other groups, providing fellow members with some added motivation at succeeding at our goals.