Everyone will tell you to do things on campus. Get involved. Join clubs. Meet people and do things. If you think it sounds easier than it actually is, you’re right. Jobs, homework, and too many obligations interfere with the do things part of the advice. I found it especially hard to figure out when and how to join clubs and organizations. This is why things like “Org Smorg” are important. There, the clubs and groups give you information about what their club is and what it all entails. They also get your information and put you on an email list so you can get the information about when and where the club meets and events that they’re doing.
One of the biggest tips I have about getting involved, going to events, joining clubs, and more on campus, is to not get a job until after Org Smorg. On top of that, try to figure out what days your campus has the most activities. On the UW Green Bay campus, the answer is Monday and Wednesday nights. I didn’t know that and those wound up being the nights I work late. I missed Org Smorg, one of the most important steps to getting involved, and I highly regret it.
If you wind up missing Org Smorg, try your best to reach out to the groups. However, keep in mind that they often do not respond to emails. I found it easiest to find another student who knows some of the presidents of some of the different organizations (ask around, there is always someone who knows someone). I had her give my contact info to the groups I wanted to contact and made my way to meetings from there. It definitely is not the most efficient way to go about joining clubs, but that is the unfortunate reality of missing Org Smorg. Go to events, make friends, and join clubs. It’s harder than you’d think, but you will make memories that last a lifetime.