As the sun rose on the dawn of October 7th, Cory Aquino Democratic Space transformed into a battlefield. In a dizzying array of tables and tarpaulins, each organization carved out its own space. Each booth as eye-catching as the next, with vibrant posters and big bold-faced letters demanding the attention of anyone who walked by.  And of course, La Salle Computer Society was no exception. Annual Recruitment Week had begun.

Although it may seem like the battle’s just started, in reality, most of it has already been fought behind the scenes. After all, to be prepared is half the victory. The documents that needed to be processed, publication materials posted online, pins and stickers handed out at the booth, and the tarps to be displayed all had to be ready weeks in advance.

“The preparation part, most of it really happens not onsite. There were barely any physical [props] that we had in the booth, and if we ever had any, the majority of it was printed. So siyempre, the majority of the production part is actually editing [the designs].” Alvin Marquez, Vice President for Publicity and Creatives, shares on his experience before the Annual Recruitment Week started.

However, they also encountered their fair share of problems with the time constraints given – one obstacle in particular was the making of the big cardboard LSCS letters.

“Nabaha yung Nook before… nasama yung letters doon sa baha, so it was very floppy na. So we had to remake [them]." HRD Vice President Mikaela Hermoso shares.

"It took a lot of time, not only for HRD but also for other committees, kasi not everyone was available so we asked for help.” In the end, it proved to be a testament to the strength of the community. Over the span of one week, everyone pitched in to help finish the props in time for the event." She adds.

The first 3 days of ARW were relatively slower for LSCS; after all, most CCS students would only come into campus during Thursdays and Fridays. This presented a unique challenge: how do we expand the reach of the org beyond just CCS? 

“We wanted to make it more appealing to other colleges; we wanted to make them feel that even though the org literally says Computer Society, it’s not necessarily only for CCS people and in fact it should be for everyone to be part of”, shared Alvin.

The officers manning the booth devised their own strategies to pique the interest of non-CCS students, placing an emphasis on technology in our daily lives rather than complicated computer concepts only CCS people would understand.

Of course, these weren’t the only ways to get students interested in joining. This year, the LSCS dinosaur made its debut, taking CADS by storm. The people manning the booth took turns roaming around with it, striking fear and awe into the hearts of those who passed by. Friends took pictures together with the portable photo booth frame. No effort was spared in making the event as fun and memorable as possible for everyone.

“It’s not [just] about the number of members na magre-register, but it’s the number of people you talk to and introduce the org to. I think ‘yun yung meaning of success sa akin, it’s to really talk to people about the organization, especially the froshies kasi nakikita mo yung excitement sa mata nila whenever you mention yung mga stuff na ginagawa natin.” Rog Canayon, Executive Vice President for Operations, shares his thoughts.

ARW was never about just the number of members the organization recruited; it’s about the people behind those numbers, and that sense of community that we build together.

It may have come to a close, but for the members of the 39th LSCS, both new and old, it only marks a new beginning. To all the new members, make the most out of it! Join the events, workshops, and seminars. Take part in the officership training programs to hone your leadership skills. Go out there and meet new people, and take all the opportunities you can to learn and grow. In the end, that’s what the spirit of LSCS is all about.