Northeastern students packed the quads on Monday afternoon for Fall Fest ’14 to learn how they can get involved in campus organizations and groups, meet their fellow Huskies, participate in fun activities, and enjoy the free food, music, and Northeastern swag.

Representatives of student organizations and university offices and departments manned information tables throughout campus, which gave visitors an opportunity to spread out, enjoy this sunny Labor Day, and find ways to get involved. The event also featured plenty of music, eats, giveaways, and activities in all corners of campus, from human bowling in the health sciences quad to mini golf in West Village. Students, faculty, and staff shared in the excitement via Twitter with the hashtag #NUFallFest14.

Fall Fest served as one of the centerpieces of Welcome Week 2014, which runs through Saturday and is packed with events for both first-year students and the entire student body. During Welcome Week, students meet one other and learn more about all that Northeastern and the city of Boston has to offer.

As Liam Hughes, CIS’19, a first-year student from Buffalo, New York, passed by Shillman Hall, he’d already had a fun and productive afternoon. Hughes, who is a combined computer science and game design major, signed up for the swimming club and the game development club. Next up was a swing through Centennial Common.

“It’s been a great day so far. I’ve already found a few things I’m interested in,” said Smith, who arrived on campus Friday and moved into Smith Hall.

There was something for everyone at Fall Fest. On Krentzman Quad, students lined up for their personalized Northeastern license plates, snacked on popcorn, and conversed with upperclassmen in the many fraternities and sororities. In Snell Quad, visitors were greeted with music and nachos as organizations such as IDEA, the student-run venture accelerator, and the Resident Student Association fielded questions from a steady stream of students.

Northeastern Athletics and a variety of sports clubs lined the brick walkway between Snell Library and the Cabot Center, where students left with Northeastern foam fingers and red Husky Nation T-shirts. On Centennial Common, students discovered organizations in the performing arts as well as a slip n’ slide that proved quite popular on this hot, muggy day.

In West Village, students played mini-golf at a nine-hole course set up in the center green, which was surrounded by tables manned by representatives of student groups. One of them was the biochemistry club, which was represented by its president, Kyle Williams, S’18. Williams said the organization is a great way for students to learn more about the university’s biochemistry program and connect with students, faculty, and other researchers in the field. The club meets bi-weekly to discuss everything from their co-op experiences to what’s happening in the industry. Last year, the club was named the outstanding chapter of the year by the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

“We will help you get the most out of your biochemistry major,” Williams said.

Nearby, Rawan Alkhatib, SSH’15, a combined international affairs and political science major, manned the table for the Northeastern University International Relations Council. The senior has been involved for two-and-a-half years with the club, through which students discover the challenges of international diplomacy while developing strong public speaking and negotiation skills. IRC students compete in Model NATO, Model UN, and Model Arab League, where Northeastern students regularly shine.

“This is all about putting your classroom work to use in practical situations, and it’s a great opportunity to keep on world affairs,” Alkhatib  said.