Going to college is a new experience for everyone. It is much different than high school in a lot of ways. You select your classes, pick when you want to be in class and most significantly, you are surrounded by up to 40,000 people. Coming to the University of Illinois can be very overwhelming to freshman, especially those from small towns. The incoming freshman enrolled in the fall of 2014 was 6,937. That graduating class size, in addition to all other classes of undergraduates makes for a lot of people to be roaming around campus. One way to make the campus smaller is by getting involved! Here are four ways to get involved at the University of Illinois.
1) Get a job.
Working while going to school may seem like a scary thing to do. College is hard enough and some think that adding a job on top of classes is not a good idea. Yet working while in college provides opportunities for students, such as time management skills. We will all be busy for the rest of our lives; learning in college how to manage time between work and school is a very important skill. Junior at the university, Zack Proefriedt says of his job at the Illinois Fire Service Institute, “I love having a job because I have more spending money to do fun things.” Having a little extra cash in college is never a bad thing.
2) Join an intramural sports team.
This one is for everyone, not just the high school athletes out there. Joining an intramural sport is a good way to blow off some of the daily stressors of being in college. The intramurals are usually only an hour a week, so it is really not that big of a time commitment. There are a wide variety of intramural sports to join at the University of Illinois.
3) Join a club.
Joining a club is one of the best ways to get to know other people. It is helpful to take into consideration your major when joining a club. A blogger on veemoze.wordpress.com said, “Clubs expose students to the aspects of those careers that they wouldn’t be able to learn in a classroom.” As a journalism student, the most helpful writing practice I have received is by writing for two journalism clubs on campus. If you don’t want to join a club that relates to your major, there are still many other clubs that you might find interest you.
4) Join a sorority.
Going Greek is definitely an awesome way to branch out and meet new people. It also provides individuals with opportunities to personally grow and to have networking opportunities. Senior member of Sigma Kappa Sorority Lindsey Buckmore said, “being in a sorority gives you lifelong friendships and the ability to be a part of something so much bigger than yourself. By joining a sorority I was able to gain friendships that last forever, a support system to help me through college, more confidence, and a way to give back to my community.” Sororities are truly the whole package for the colliegette.
There are multiple ways to get involved at the University of Illinois. Pick one, or more, and let the college experience begin.
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Lindsey Buckmore