The current political climate is rough, and so is getting off campus. We’re not near any big towns, the buses are expensive, and bringing your car up to school means spending half your time finding an open spot and the other half fighting with the ticket officers about that parking ticket they gave you even though you still had five more minutes. But if you still feel like you’re not doing enough when you hear about people going to the Women’s March and Black Lives Matter protests, what do you do?
Here are the easiest ways to get involved without ever leaving campus.
Join clubs.
We’re home to over 700 student organizations on campus; there are clubs fighting for immigrant rights, women’s empowerment clubs and even ecology and socialism clubs. They need numbers, and more people to hear their voices. If we don’t have a club you want, start your own. There are definitely people who will show up to your meetings.
Go to events on campus.
UConn hosts events all the time that happen right in the middle of campus. There was the protest organized the day after the election, and after Charlottesville, a vigil was held behind the Union. Even if you can’t travel off campus to go to marches, there are a bunch of events right next to your dorm that you can make it to. Keep an eye out; advertisements go up on pages like Buy & Sell all the time.
Donate.
We know funds are tight, so this one’s only if your parents gave you some extra cash this week, or you want to skip a night at Huskies and stay in for a good cause. Remember—even one cent counts! Find an organization you support and let them know you’re standing behind them.
Spread the word.
If you can’t afford to donate (so—most of us), let others know about what you’re fighting for. Go make signs for those people who can drive to Hartford to protest, tweet your cause and tell your friends about it. Speak up! Change for the better can’t come if people don’t even know that something’s wrong.
Vote.
This is the most important thing you can do to enact change. We know that most of us aren’t registered here and probably can’t drive home on a weekday, so remember to grab those absentee ballots next month. Don’t just wait for the big elections, either—vote in your local and state elections, too.
Now go out and fight for what you believe in, Collegiettes!