How to Throw Your First University Event 

Organizing your first event could be nerve-racking, most especially if it’s going to be university-wide. There will be a lot of people and you are probably under a lot of pressure. But don’t worry because you found the perfect guide.  

We will give you the basics on how you can organize your first university event. Hopefully, this could help you. And as you follow our tips, you would realize that it is not as hard as you thought it is.  

Identify Your Goals  

More often than not, you will run an event because you have certain goals. For example, you want to raise funds or maybe you want to introduce your organization to different students. Whatever your goal is, you have to make it clear at the onset. That will help you create a strategic plan for your event. 

If you cannot pinpoint what your objective is, the entire thing will be chaotic. You will just be meeting a lot of people and suppliers wherein you do not have an idea which path to take. So again, this should come first.  

Set Your Timeline  

Here’s a fact. You cannot organize a nice event overnight. Or if you have no choice, expect that it’s going to be extremely hard.  

Ideally, you need to set your schedule and your timeline. It should be weeks or months of preparation. That way, you still have room for adjusting things. You see, organizing events could be a nightmare. There will be suppliers that will back out the last minute or maybe your preferred venue isn’t available. Having said that,  you must allocate time for these things. As much as you want it to be perfect on your first try, it rarely happens.  

Find Out Your Working Budget  

We totally understand that you want your first event to be grand. But you also have to consider your budget. You need to be resourceful and to find ways on how you can stretch your money to make your event successful.  

You must consider the budget for the amenities, for marketing, for your venue, the booths, and even the food. Plus,  there are other added expenses while you are still doing the entire project. List all of these. And if there are suppliers, make sure that you get a receipt so you won’t have any issues when it comes to finances.  

Always Have Options B, C..  

As we’ve said, there are instances where your first choice cannot attend to your needs. If that’s the case, you always need to have a backup option.  

For example, you need to scout for multiple venues. Or you have to know different suppliers. It’s always good to expand your contacts because who knows if you can use them on your next events? 

Market Your Event  

Even if you work hard on your event, if you forgot to tap your audience, then it will remain useless. The success of your event would largely depend on your attendees.  

So, what do you have to do?  

Well, aggressive marketing is the answer. You can use social media or even talk to your schoolmates personally. You can even hand out flyers or maybe announce it in your school. Use different channels so you can attract more audience. And if you can add gimmicks, that should help your event too.  

Test the Equipment  

Before you start the event, make sure that everything is in place. You must have your people at the booth or registration. Also, you need to check if the equipment are all working.

Imagine an event with a lousy sound system. Trust us, it would be a flop. So, before the attendees fill your venue, see if everything is perfect. If you can have a list of what you need to check, then do so. 

Be A Quick Thinker  

Here’s another reality bite. When you are already running the event, there could be mishaps and you must be a quick thinker to resolve these problems. You need to have another backup so that people in your event will not notice that something is going wrong. Otherwise, they would just immediately leave.  

Don’t Forget To Evaluate 

When your event is already done, it is not the end of your work. You must also assess the entirety of your program. You have to evaluate if it is a success or not. You can also add the points for improvement so that you will not repeat the same mistakes again. Or share your findings to the next event organizer to ensure that their program will be smooth sailing.