When you step on campus in August, you’ll officially be a freshman! Long hard road to get to this point, but you did it. Once on campus you’ll be eager to make new friends, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll be wondering how to do so. With so many ways to interact with the rest of your student body, it may be a little awkward at first to find a niche, but go for it anyways, you’ll be surprised at the doors it will open for you. Below are 5 ways to get involved on campus.
Join the Student Activities Committee
Every school has a Student Activities Committee or SAC, that helps to put together Homecoming, Spring fest, and every other student event on campus. Joining Sac will help you to not only meet others, but to have a voice in how student events are put together. Plus if your SAC is poppin’, you might be able to get into big events for free, but don’t let that be the only reason you join, there’s a lot of work that comes with it.
Apply for work-study
It sounds boring, but really hear me out. Work study can not only help you to pay off some of those student loans (or put money in your pocket, but really pay of those loans, trust me,) but it will give you a chance to make connections with students and faculty in different departments (which comes in handy when you need those letters of recommendation.) It’s also a chance to gain some experience before you enter the post-graduation working world.
Run for SGA
SGA or Student Government Association, is probably one of the hardest working entities on campus. They are the ones who make sure you’re properly represented to the admin of your college or university. Not only are they hard working, but they’re well recognized, and they enjoy their positions. Running for SGA, gives you a platform to run a campaign, and brand yourself. It also gives others the opportunity to see your talents and capabilities.
Do Community Service
Again, it may sound boring, but I promise community service is probably the most fulfilling experience you’ll have if you choose to partake in it. Each and every university has a community relations organization, where their main objective is to give back to the community the university lives in. Whether its park clean up, feeding the homeless, or reading to kids at the libraries; all of it helps to better the area you’re getting your education in.
Join some clubs and orgs
At the beginning of every semester, Your University puts on a clubs and orgs day. Every single club and organization from a-z will be there trying to recruit you to join and tell you about their mission. Visit every table and see what works for you. Some you’ll like, some you won’t, but you’ll never know unless you try. Get out there and see what your school has to offer.
Ready for college but not sure what to expect, or even bring? Before you say goodbye to your parents and friends, check out this ultimate guide to surviving your first year in college, and in particular at the country’s 107 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). We created the #HBCUFreshmanBible to help build a bridge for students to make a successful transition from high school to black colleges, you can read more here.
