As a commuter, you aren’t on campus as much as all the other students because you don’t live here, which makes it harder to connect with people and find your place in the community. Everyone will tell you, “Get involved!” But what does that even mean? If you ask how, they will proceed to tell you to join a club or two and stay on campus longer than you have to. Sounds pretty basic right? But hearing this gets old fast. And honestly, it kind of made me want to just stay at home. So how do you fit in with everyone else when you live at home and have to drive back and forth?
Here’s a secret: It’s actually not that hard to get involved in the college community and here are five ways you can start:
1. Attend Club Fair and sign up for all the clubs that interest you even a little bit.
Yes, I said ALL. And yes, I know that’s what everyone else has already told you this, but just trust me – do it. It’s really helpful. Signing up for all of the clubs you like doesn’t mean you have to be active in all of them, or even attend the first meeting for all of them. But once you give them your email, you will start to receive news so you can learn what the club is about. If the first email interests you, go to the meeting! If it doesn’t sound cool anymore, or it just doesn’t fit your schedule, forget about it. Eventually they will stop sending you the emails, or you can let them know it won’t work for you and they will take you off their list. After a while, you will have found a few really sweet clubs that you enjoy and have made some new friends.
2. Introduce yourself.
While this sounds pretty basic, I have found that it really helps you make connections and feel comfortable on campus. Whether it’s the girl fixing her coffee at the same time as you in the dining hall, the guy sitting next to you in your science class, or the professor you pass in the hallway on the way out of the building, a simple greeting and introduction will make both of you happier and feel more comfortable. You may even find that the coffee girl becomes your best friend, the guy could become your study partner, and the professor might become a valuable mentor throughout the rest of your years at Siena. And all of that because of a smile and exchanging of names.
3. Spend some – but not all – of your time in the commuter resource room.
That room across from the mail boxes (the ones we commuters don’t get because our mail goes to our houses)? That’s for us! If you haven’t checked it out, there are computers and a printer to do your homework, a fridge and microwave so you can bring your own food, and lockers to keep your things in instead of leaving it in your car or lugging it around all day. Staying in the commuter room during all of your free time isolates you from the resident students, but I suggest hanging out in there once in a while. At least step in every now and then, to meet some of the other commuters who share a similar experience as you.
4. Step out of your comfort zone
Introducing yourself might be far out of some people’s comfort zones, and that’s okay. College is about finding yourself and making yourself more comfortable in different situations so you are prepared for life after your education. But there are other ways you can step out of your comfort zone. Have you always wanted to dance, but feel like you’d just embarrass yourself? Why not join a dance club and learn! I promise there will be other people there who know just as little as you do. And that just might be me…
The Humans vs. Zombies game last weekend was out of my comfort zone and extremely difficult to plan around commuting (especially since I don’t have my own car), but I had a lot of fun and will definitely do it again next semester. It gave me opportunities to meet a lot of different people as well as a chance to test my own skills and limits in various different ways. Now that it’s over, I not only have connections with a far greater amount of students than I had before, but I also know the campus better than I did from the tours I took when visiting Siena.
5. Comment on someone’s style
Whether it’s their great outfit coordination, awesome nerdy t-shirt, or just the stickers on their laptop or notebook, talking to someone about their clothing or accessories is usually guaranteed to start a conversation that you can both contribute to. Now you have a new friend that has the same interests as you! I have made countless friends with this method, both commuters and resident students. And once you’ve made a connection to someone – no matter how small that connection may be – you now have an opportunity to become great friends.
So, now that you know how to “get involved,” go start breaking those commuter stereotypes. We don’t want to be known as the outcasts who don’t know how to fit in on campus. The only difference between residents and commuters should be where they live, not how much they participate in the Siena’s community.
*Special thanks to Justin Scott and fellow commuters Tiffany Cardazzi and Meghan Walsh for their input!