Start your college experience off right with getting involved and building connections.
College is one of the biggest investments that many young adults make in their lives. It’s induced with lots of stress, hardship, and intensity, which for some may be a bit overbearing. For many, it’s the first time that students are away from home and their families. With such a big adjustment, it’s important to make friends, settle in, and get involved on campus or just within the community itself.
The Importance of Getting Involved:
Getting involved and staying active on campus isn’t just limited to clubs and sports, it may even extend to organizations, community service, or even activities that happen around campus. One of the events that stood out to me the most at Temple was the “Week(s) of Welcome”. This event consisted of multiple events to welcome newcomers and welcome back previous students. Temple Fest seemed like one of the more imperative events to take place at Temple. The variety of organizations, clubs, sports, and activities that this university has to offer is a great start for students looking to get involved.
Weeks of Welcome- Temple University’s WoW encompasses several free and fun events used to welcome back last year’s students and welcome in new coming students. One of the WoW events, Temple Fest occurred twice and provided students with numerous opportunities to join clubs, sports teams, organizations, and provided information on other ways to get involved within the Temple community. Other events that took place during WoW were the glow party, TU Palooza, Night Owl Event, Bouncy Bonanza, and so many more events allowing students to socialize and have fun doing so.
Family Week and Homecoming– Homecoming is something that students look forward to each year. The homecoming football game shows off Temple’s school spirit and is ultimately an exciting time for the Temple community. During homecoming week, families are allowed to visit and provided with hotel information for the weekend. Not only is Temple very welcoming of their students, but also of the families their students come from.
Acquired Skills and Learning Opportunities:
As far as why it’s important to get involved to begin with, it prepares young adults for a lifetime of connections and reaching out to others. Those that struggle with communication skills would be able to build this skill set through working with others. It is also a great opportunity to learn teamwork and collaborative skills, as well as developing great friendships and self-confidence. More specifically, clubs and organizations are a great way for students to reach outside of their comfort zone and immediate social circle.
Teamwork and Building Connections- Those that may not be very familiar with working in groups, will be able to acquire teamwork skills and collaboration skills that they didn’t have before. They’ll become familiar with what it’s like to work with others. These skills will be used throughout life. Building connections is important for later on in life. These connections can aid you in building your resume, while also helping you land jobs later on.
Time Management and Organization– Being able to balance the work of multiple classes is difficult for all college students. By getting involved and having multiple things going on around campus, it becomes easier for students to understand the importance of managing their time. Many clubs and organizations help with just that by offering assistance in managing one’s time and through events within certain clubs, students learn how to balance their responsibilities.
Leadership and Problem-Solving- Those involved can gain different perspectives that allow them to work more efficiently through problems that may arise in their everyday lives. These individuals can learn new skills that they may not otherwise have learned outside of the clubs, organizations, and/or sports that they are involved in. Individuals will become more aware of themselves and their surroundings, while also allowing themselves to manage themselves and their relationships with others.
Ultimately, as frustrating as the change that college may bring can be, it’s important to reach out and expand your knowledge of the community while also expanding yourself as an individual. While these years can be some of the most stressful in a young adult’s life, it’s important to reach out, and get involved to make them some of the best.