Finding your place in a big college campus can be both daunting and discouraging. For me, not being able to find my place at FSU during my freshman year made me anxious about the rest of my time here. However, as I’m ending my sophomore year, I finally feel like I have found my niche on campus and have made long-lasting impressions and friendships. Now, I’m sharing my advice on how to find your place at FSU and how to make it count.
1. Follow Your Passions
The best way to find your place at FSU is to participate in the Involvement Fair. You’ll find hundreds of organizations on campus that are looking for new members. To best navigate the Involvement Fair, go for the clubs and organizations that are tailored best to your interests. Whether it be a student association that caters to students of your race or ethnicity, a club geared towards an issue you’re passionate about, or an organization based on your major, you’re bound to find something that fits you! My greatest advice is to join a club based on something you really care about and find the most interest in. If you’re not passionate enough about it, you’ll never find the motivation to attend meetings and bonding events that will help you make friends. Even if the club is based on an activity you haven’t tried before but you’re eager to try it out, go for it! You’ll never know if you’ll enjoy it if you don’t at least try.
Courtesy of FSU Student Affairs on Twitter
2. Don’t Just “Stick it Out”
During my first year at Florida State, I wanted to find my place so badly that I stuck with the original organizations I was in for a while before realizing that they weren’t for me. Don’t make the same mistake I did! I wasted so much time trying to “stick it out,” and hoping I would grow to like the organization, where I could have been actively searching for a club that best suited my needs and interests. If you find yourself not enjoying the club you joined, having a hard time making friends, or not getting along with the other members, don’t feel obligated to wait it out. Your time will be much better spent by trying other things than being miserable doing something you really are not into.
3. Put Yourself Out There
Don’t be afraid to try something new or try something that scares you! Putting yourself out there is the first step to making friends and getting involved. During my freshman year, I was afraid to try new things in fear of embarrassing myself and in fear of rejection. But without rejection, you won’t understand success. If you want to apply for a leadership position, do it! Every step along your path can be used as a lesson and as a way to gain more experience. By showing you’re eager and passionate about the organization, you’ll make a good, lasting impression on the executive board and student leaders. Also, once the other members see how much you care and how you share interests with them, they are bound to approach you, which is a surefire way to make new friends!
4. Don’t Lose Yourself
Sometimes positions at FSU can be competitive. You can find yourself interviewing alongside other students in group interviews, applying for a popular position against other students, or you can stretch yourself too thin in order to make your resume stand out. While it’s important to strive for the best, don’t lose yourself. Don’t lose sight of what really matters in the haze of the competition. Make sure you apply for things you care about instead of just chasing a title. The more you stay true to yourself, you’ll realize your time at FSU will be well-spent and worth it.