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10 Ways to Get Involved on Campus
If you want to get the most out of your college experience, it’s important to put yourself out there and look for ways to get involved on campus. Doing so will not only help improve your mental health but also allow you to grow as a person. You’ll be able to find a sense of belonging, make long-lasting friendships, and open yourself up to opportunities beyond college.
Being active in your college community is easier said than done, especially if you struggle to get out your comfort zone, but it beats sitting in your dorm all alone and feeling homesick or lonely. Isolating yourself like that can increase your anxiety and cause you to lose motivation, which will have a negative impact your academics.
No matter what college or university you go to, there’s always plenty of opportunities to increase your involvement on campus. Check out some of the best ways to do so below.
1. Attend Campus Events
Clubs and faculty departments will host a number of different events throughout each semester to increase student involvement. Some common events you might see on campus include job fairs, fundraisers, guest speakers, cancer awareness walks, musicals, and student workshops.
It doesn’t end there, though. Expect to see a variety of cultural, social, academic, Greek, and athletic events as well. Make sure you check your email newsletter, and keep an eye out for flyers around campus to know when these events are going on.
2. Find a Job on Campus
Balancing work with academics can become more difficult if you have to drive to a job somewhere off campus. On-campus jobs are ideal for students looking to make some extra cash without needing any transportation. Having a job on campus also makes it easier for students to have a healthy balance between work and college.
Jobs on campus are going to vary for every college, but a few common ones are library attendants, peer tutors, teaching assistants, administrative assistants, and resident assistants.
3. Volunteer
Volunteering allows students to spend their free time helping out the community and form new connections with people from different backgrounds. They’ll be able to work on learning a number of valuable soft skills, such as teamwork, resourcefulness, leadership, and problem-solving.
Volunteer work can even help bolster your resume and allow you to explore potential career paths. On campus, you can volunteer during campus events, tutor students, or look into other volunteer programs your college offers.
4. Go Greek
Joining a fraternity or sorority is one of the best ways get involved on campus. Once you join a Greek organization, you’ll be able to develop friendships with like-minded students, help out the community through philanthropy, and build your social skills.
You’ll gain access to alumni networks, which can be useful for networking or if you need any career advice. Moreover, you can explore leadership opportunities within a fraternity or sorority to increase your level of involvement.
5. Join a Club
The amount of student-run clubs and organizations in college is almost endless. No matter what your interests are, there’s a good chance you’ll find one you like. Similar to Greek organizations and volunteer work, joining a club is a great way to form new friendships, grow your network, and boost your resume so it stands out to potential employers.
Clubs also offer you the chance to further develop skills like team work and time management, along with more specialized skills related to your field of study. Some clubs and organizations you’ll see at most colleges include:
- Academic clubs
- Student media groups
- Religious groups
- Community service clubs
- Theater
- Cultural clubs
- Student government
- Esports clubs
Related: 28 Fun Things to Do in College
6. Become a Tutor
If you have time in your schedule to peer tutor students on campus, I highly recommend you do it. Besides the satisfaction of being able to help students, you’ll be able to earn an income, reinforce knowledge you already know, and work flexible hours.
The experience you gain from tutoring is another way you can improve your resume. Get in touch with the learning center at your college to find out what the requirements are for being a tutor.
7. Play Intramural Sports
For students who miss playing sports in high school but don’t have the time to commit to playing an intercollegiate sport, intramural sports are a fun alternative.
The best thing about intramural sports in college are the amount of different sports there are to play — anything from basketball and volleyball to medieval combat and bass fishing. If you’re looking for a fun way to stay active, hangout with friends, and get involved on campus, intramural sports are the way to go.
8. Become a Teaching Assistant
Unlike intramural sports, becoming an undergraduate teaching assistant for a college professor is a big commitment and comes with a lot of responsibilities. Most teaching assistants are full-time students, as well. That’s why before you decide to become a TA, you need make sure you have good time management skills.
You also need to have enough patience to help students who have questions about course material, usually during mandatory office hours that are assigned to you. With all that in mind, if you think you’d make a good teaching assistant, talk to a professor you like about hiring you as a TA.
Once you’re hired for the gig, you can expect to earn a decent pay rate and/or receive course credits. The experience you gained can be used to enhance you resume. Additionally, you’ll establish a relationship with the professor who can assist you with getting into graduate school.
9. Explore Your Campus
One of the easiest ways to get more involved on campus is just by walking around and seeing what it has to offer. Instead of going back to your dorm after class, go explore a little bit. Check out the kind of facilities and amenities available on campus.
Your college likely has a variety of places students hangout at, such as student lounges, fitness facilities, outside courtyards, libraries, and cafeterias. Whether you go to a prominent university or a smaller college, your campus should have plenty places to check out and socialize at.
10. Join the School Paper
If you’re one who enjoys writing, then joining the student newspaper might be for you. It’s a good way to stay up to date on campus events and get to know the college community better.
Writing for the school newspaper will help sharpen your writing skills, which are always useful to have in college. Besides writers, there’s other important positions students can apply for — photographers, editors, proofreaders, etc.
