Say Cheese! Unique Student Club Brings ‘Grate’ Vibes

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• Louis Kim- [email protected]

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From weight lifting to hitting the high notes in song, there are nearly 800 organizations students can get involved with at UC San Diego. In this ongoing series, we'll shine a light on a few of them. This time the spotlight is on the Cheese Club.

UC San Diego's very own Cheese Club is nachoaverage club. While many clubs are centered around professionalism and careers, this community offers a blend of passion and fun.

A club centered around a shared love for this beloved dairy product, Cheese Club hosts events that bring students together through food and culture. One of their more recent programs, 7-Cheeses Around the World, celebrated the variety of cheeses through free catered samples and complimentary snacks while introducing attendees to distinctive flavors and traditions from different cultures.

Kristela Avendano, now in her third year studying political and data science, remembers the moment she first discovered the organization. Avendano attended one of the club's first socials at the Melt, an off-campus restaurant chain known for its cheesy delicacies, and realized that the community was exactly what she was looking for. "It was a very welcoming atmosphere, and I could genuinely talk to almost anyone," she recalled. "This club attracts those who are very frank and upfront about their passions." And now that she is the Set Up Coordinator, she adds, "Saying that I'm on the Cheese Board is just funny!"

The Molding of the Cheese Club

Founded post-pandemic in 2022, the Cheese Club grew steadily under the guidance of its founders who sought to interact and socialize with other students. The goal was to have a club that promoted a friendly environment, accessible to all.

While the founders have now graduated, Jenny Pham, a 4th-year linguistics student and the CMO (that stands for CheeseMarketing Officer), carries on their legacy. "A lot of orgs were academic-based, but this one was just where you could turn off your brain and enjoy cheese." Pham said, "It was such a fun and memorable way to experience my first year, and I wanted to share that experience with everyone else because why would I not share something that I love?"

Since its founding, Cheese Club has remained a social-casual club for all those who enjoy cheese. "We don't take ourselves too seriously; we just want to make events that people want to come to," Avendano states.

How to join the Cheese Club?

Joining the Cheese Club is easy - it is an experience open to all students. "You just show up, and you eat cheese," Avendano says. There are no membership requirements, fees, dues, or competition..

The club hosts 1-2 events each month, with activities ranging from movie screenings on campus to off-campus restaurant meetups. "There are no expectations, it's come as you are. Come when you can, when you want, bring a friend, go solo, we take anyone who wants to come because love for cheese doesn't discriminate," Pham explains.

Cheese enthusiasts can visit the club's Instagram @cheeseatucsd to stay updated on future events. The Cheese Club encourages you to take the time out of your day to enjoy yourselves and have a gouda time!