By Branson Hardcastle | Reporter
College is full of new experiences, new opportunities and new friendships. As exciting as these all are, they can also be very intimidating. One way to try to make college less frightening is to get involved in a club or organization, on or off-campus.
If you’re like me, you knew absolutely no one your first day on campus. The only person I really talked to the first couple of days was my roommate. I didn’t talk with many people in my hall or do much outside of going to class. Needless to say, my first couple of weeks, I didn’t put myself out there.
Everything changed for me during the next semester. I joined Zeta Zigga Zamma, an off-campus organization, which changed my entire outlook on my college experience. Through this organization, I was able to find friendships that have continued to grow through this semester. I no longer stayed in my room–– instead, I was out exploring Waco with the people I met. This was the first sense of community I had since I moved to Baylor.
During my first semester, I didn’t have that sense of community. I had friends, but this was different. ZZZ members always wanted to go explore Waco or hang out at someone’s house. They introduced me to new people and new experiences.
I didn’t realize what all the clubs and organizations at Baylor offered until I joined one. They allow you to meet people with diverse backgrounds, give you a sense of community and introduce you to different opportunities.
There are numerous ways to get involved on or off campus. Fraternities and sororities are popular organizations to join, because they build strong communities and introduce you to friendships that last a lifetime. They are also involved in different ways off-campus, as they find ways to serve the community or raise support for different charities.
Although Greek life is the most popular way to get involved, there are plenty of other ways as well. Many students get involved with sports clubs such as tennis or fencing. These clubs are obviously centered around sports, but they also introduce you to great people. I have talked to many people who say that the majority of their friends come from the club sport they participate in.
An important factor in joining any club or team is being involved in it. Joining a club but being absent from it won’t allow you to reap the benefits. You have to make an effort to meet new people and try new things, even after you join. If you do, you should be able to make the most out of your time in the organization.
College is supposed to be the best years of your life, so make the most out of it. If you think you want to try out a club or an organization, do it. It could be the place where you find some of your best friends. I promise you won’t regret it.
