I haven’t really needed to step out of my comfort zone while in college. I came in with a friend from high school and met my small circle of choice as a freshman. I was worried senior year was too late to start branching out, but that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. Here’s my advice for resisting the urge to completely lock in on studying, and actually making use of all that college has to offer.
Join clubs. As many as possible.
When you enter college as a freshman it feels like student organizations are yelling from all directions. “Sign up for our club!” “Join the email list!” “Follow us on Instagram!” All the pressure gets overwhelming of course, and the next thing I knew my freshman year I hadn’t signed up for anything at all. I made myself a promise this semester that I would actually go to the involvement fair and join at least one new club. The fair itself was as crowded as ever, with over 100 organizations here at the University of Connecticut looking for new members (you can find the full list here). I signed my name on a few forms and followed a few clubs on Instagram, but this was only half the battle. The hardest part of joining a club is actually showing up when the time comes. Beekeeping club sounds fun on paper, but with a full academic schedule, who has time to bee-keep at all? Certainly not me. However, as of now I am proud to report I am a relatively active member of six different clubs on campus this semester! Keeping track of different meeting times while also trying not to fall behind on coursework isn’t easy, but the community experience and all the fun activities make it worthwhile. Finding community in college is exactly as important as everyone makes it sound, and it’s never too late to start!
Go to at least one game.
It’s my fourth year in the basketball capital of the world, and I haven’t been to a single game. Not hockey, not volleyball, not football, and definitely not basketball. This has to change. It is my mission this year to see all of the major sports teams play at least once at a home game. I’m not exactly a sports person, but I am definitely at a sports school. The sheer amount of UConn alumni playing in the WNBA at any given time is proof of that. UConn had its first football bowl game win in a long time last year, we’re tied with Georgetown for most Big East Tournament wins, and we made it to the NCAA mens hockey tournament. I haven’t seen a single one of these things happen in person and I absolutely cannot afford to miss out on any more wins. September flew by unfortunately, so for the fall/winter sports I have three months left to make the most of. Ice hockey and football are top of my list for the fall semester, and when spring comes around I will be front and center for soccer and March Madness. One of the most exciting things about my planned sports escapades is that here at UConn, usually tickets are free for students. The only thing that irresistible game-day buzz costs is a little bit of my sanity in the student ticket queue.
Never underestimate free stuff
I feel like every college in the country gives out free stuff at some point, and when they do, be there. During my four years here I’ve gotten quite a few free treats. From ice cream to T-shirts, UConn has yet to disappoint me when it comes to free stuff. Everything gets very expensive very fast post-grad, so as a senior I hope to be as financially mindful as possible this year. Aside from buying fewer Thai teas, I have extended this philosophy to taking as much free stuff as I can get. Many universities have programs available to help students afford the necessities, like a campus food pantry, but they also often offer fun free events! If you’re a UConn student, student organized events like spring weekend and homecoming have a ton of free activities like carnivals and comedy shows. The Instagram account UConn Freebies is another great way to get a heads up about anything being given away on the UConn campuses. Not only does the account occasionally function as a lost and found, but whenever something is free to see or do on campus they’ll have it posted. This can range from Dunkin’ gift cards and pop-up events to game day tickets; anything is possible. It’s usually first come first serve so don’t miss out!
Put yourself out there
I’m also using my last two semesters to push myself out of my comfort zone in ways I haven’t before. I decided to do this by auditioning for Seoular, the K-pop dance team here at UConn. I figured it would give me something fun to do in the midst of my insane senior schedule. What I didn’t expect, though, was to actually make the team. Honestly and truly this wasn’t my plan. I thought I would audition, get rejected, go “well I tried,” then pat myself on the back for branching out. Now that I’ve been selected though, I couldn’t be more ecstatic. I used to dance as a kid, for eight years in fact, and it’s not something I’ve had the opportunity to do since I started high school. Being able to dance again is huge for me, but having the freedom to do something I’m passionate about is even more exciting. It’s important to make time for the things you want to do, not just the things you have to do. Slipping into a senior year ‘grindset’ is the easy thing to do with graduation on the horizon and post-grad plans looming, but it’s important to make time to relax. Finding a way to move around and stay active, as well as something genuinely fun, is a great way to block out the senior-itis siren song. UConn Seoular has given me that.
remember the work will get done
Since I got to college my favorite words have been “I don’t have time.” No time for clubs, no time for games, no time for anything I considered less important than my classes. And while this mindset never stopped me from making friends and hanging out, it has left me feeling like I missed out on some of the college experience. When I mentioned this to UConn alumni, there was one piece of advice that stuck out to me. The work will get done. I realized that no matter how busy I got or how stressful things seemed, the work always got done. The truth is, you’ll never know what you have time for if you don’t make time for anything. Approach your senior year with a better-late-than-never mindset instead. Try what you can, while you can, and if you want the work to get done then it will. Senior year only happens once so enjoy it!