Other than the crushing workload, financial independence and fears of your roomie being a demon sent from hell to make you suffer, the scariest part about college hands down is the daunting task of getting involved and making friends. Out-of-state students feel this pressure rather strongly, but in-state students also know the fear of sitting in their dorm room just waiting for the chance to do something other than binge “Jessica Jones” on Netflix. Well, never fear, freshmen! Your guide to getting out of your dorm room and kick starting your college life is here.
The first step to getting involved in campus life should be fairly self-explanatory. First, figure out what you’re interested in. Are you looking for a sport to join? Trying to find a fraternity or sorority to pledge? No matter what you decide you want to do, just have a vague idea of what you want to focus on. From there, the possibilities are endless. You just have to figure out how you’re going to start.
Once you have a few ideas for clubs, organizations or jobs that you’re interested in, do your research! Clemson has a diverse range of student activities, and a Google search or two will surely unveil what the university has to offer. Whether it’s the intramural sports club page or the list of all Greek life on campus, having your options placed in front of you will make getting involved seem exponentially easier.
From there, it’s just a matter of reaching out. From the moment you become a Clemson student, you have a nice, shiny @g.clemson.edu email, and this is the perfect opportunity to use it! Email the leaders of the organizations you’re interested in or reach out to the faculty in charge. Make your interest clear and whatever group you want to join will be glad to have someone who’s such a go-getter!
Of course, if you have absolutely no idea what to do with all your free time, that’s also fine! Truth be told, the easiest and fastest way to figure out what you want to get involved in is during Tiger Prowl! Happening on Tuesday, Aug. 21 from 2-5 p.m. in Death Valley, Tiger Prowl is an active hub of all student organizations. The people and heat will be abundant, but free things will be offered to you alongside countless opportunities to find your calling. Ranging from the Fencing Club to Clemson’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance (CU SAGA), Tiger Prowl offers it all.
Of course, the best organization around will also have a table set up in the shadow of Memorial Stadium. So if you’ve enjoyed this article, stop by The Tiger’s table and learn how you can get involved in a fun-loving, close-knit organization.