Jennie's Tip of the Week: Get Involved on Campus!

All students are told that the most important thing in college is academics.  Although academics are the MOST important aspect, they are not the ONLY important part of college.  College is all about finding a balance between doing well in school and juggling other activities that will brighten up your day.  Staying involved and meeting new people allows you to find your place on campus and find people who enjoy the same things you do.  This broadens your sense of community and will make your time here so much more enjoyable.

In high school it is easy to find out which activities are offered.  Most people know when soccer tryouts are or when auditions for the school musical roll around, but college is very different and students must take the initiative to look for clubs to join on their own.  Sometimes students feel overwhelmed by the intimidating amount of choices.  Others are not sure where to look for information about different organizations or how to actually join those groups.  Luckily, UMass has created an easy-to-use network called Campus Pulse (Click Here to go to this page).  Campus Pulse lists every registered student organization (RSO) this campus has to offer, and each organization keeps their page updated with a statement about themselves/their purpose as well as how to get in contact with members of that group.  It is almost never too late to join a group, so get in touch with them and get the details!  Even if you are hesitant, go to a meeting or two and figure out how you feel and what you like.  It never hurts to look into something that might interest you.

Many students do not get involved right away, but eventually everyone starts to crave something more; we begin to crave something that will keep us busy and introduce us to a new group of people.  In my own experience, joining an RSO has been the best decision I've ever made in college.  It provides me with opportunities such as holding a position on the executive board of my organization, chances to participate in philanthropic events, life skills, problem solving skills and friends that will last a lifetime.  I only wish I had gotten involved sooner!

With all this campus has to offer, there is something for everyone.  So get out there!  Express your musical talents, your love of snowboarding, your passion for philanthropy - whatever makes you happy! Check out Campus Pulse, read the descriptions, look into multiple organizations and find one or two that are right for you.