Entering freshman year at a new school in a new town can be a difficult change. Lucky for you, Clemson is an easy place to get involved. With over 500 student organizations, there’s bound to be a group the perfect fit for any freshman.

Not only does joining student organizations give you a chance to meet people with common interests, make new friends, stay busy and get involved, but showing involvement in college is also a great way to start up a resume and learn professional skills that will help you out later on down the road.

Many organizations fit specific interests and needs based on major, hobbies or a general interest in developing relationships with others. Some of the largest circles of organizations on campus can be described in a few key categories: academic, special interest, administrative, recreation/sports and Greek life.

Academic organizations

Academic organizations include honorary, departmental, professional Greek life organizations and many other academic-based groups. These organizations allow students to hone their academic interests in a more experiential way. They are also a great way to connect with people in the same academic field.

Within these organizations, you have the chance to engage with fellow students in your field of study outside the classroom, as well as guest speakers and alumni of that organization. These connections will help build one’s professional and social network in school. Many of these organizations also help you expand on specific skills in your field of interest with a more pointed focus and hands-on involvement. These are a helpful way to learn and showcase academic skills while connecting with others in one’s academic circle.

Honors societies typically won’t reach out to students during their freshman year; however, many of these academic organizations can be a great way to start one’s professional and academic development early on. This involvement is a great way to showcase passion for your academic field early on, leading to potential honors society invitations later on in your academic career.

Specific interests

To hone one’s more specific interests, there are also many special interest clubs rooted in creativity, leisure and other common hobbies. For example, all the clubs housed in TigerMedia — such as Tigervision, The Tiger, The Chronicle, WSBF-FM and more — represent different branches of media communication and creativity. There are clubs from Clemson LEGO Club to Clemson Skydiving Club, Clemson Hip-Hop Club to Fly Fishing Club and more.

Clemson also has a range of cultural organizations and associations, as well as faith-based organizations and clubs centered around political activism. There are also many community-driven or service-oriented clubs focused on helping a cause or general advocacy. These opportunities are great ways for many students to combine passion with campus involvement.

All of these clubs are open to freshman membership and specialize in unique interests while providing their members with distinct experiences and opportunities.

Administrative organizations

Another popular way to get involved on campus as a freshman is through organizations that work closely with the University and administrative departments. Clemson University Undergraduate Student Government has a Freshman Council designed for underclassmen to hold roles within the organization. There are also many roles within the administrative side of the University that may not be available to join as a freshman in August, but applications will open up throughout your first year. So, it’s important to keep an eye out for opportunities that may not be immediately available, but are of interest.

Sports and recreation

Another thing to look out for during freshman year are sports and recreation organizations and teams. Clemson has many club teams, including Clemson Ice Hockey and Clemson Pickleball, as well as outdoor recreation clubs such as Clemson Hiking Club. Clemson sports have intramural and club-level teams in addition to D1 sports programs. So, there are many ways to get involved in sports at Clemson without the stress of competition.

If competition is in your sights, however, and you happen to be exceptional at what you do, many of Clemson’s D1 sports teams accept walk-on members after tryouts. In the past, baseball, men’s basketball, men’s soccer and other D1 sports teams have held walk-on tryouts. For some sports, like women’s rowing, no experience is necessary to walk on, even though it’s a D1 sports program. Freshmen interested in sports should keep an eye out for walk-on information — it just may be their shot at D1 student-athlete status.

Greek Life

Greek life makes up a popular portion of student organizations at Clemson, and freshman year is an optimal time to get involved.

Clemson’s sorority rush, or Panhellenic recruitment, for the fall semester typically takes place in August. Registration this year opens June 9 and closes Aug. 4. Rush events follow at the beginning of the fall semester for those interested in joining sorority life at Clemson.

Additionally, individuals interested in joining an Interfraternity Council fraternity at Clemson have the option to participate in either formal or open rush in the fall semester. This process includes multiple orientations and a new member series if selected to receive a bid from a fraternity.

The Clemson University Multicultural Greek Council oversees fraternities and sororities that represent various cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The National Pan-Hellenic Council oversees eight of the nine historically African American fraternities and sororities currently represented at Clemson. These organizations have a process of intake for membership selection based on academics and community service, and are typically similar across organizations. The length of this process varies from days to weeks, depending on the organization.

There are also service and business-based fraternities that students can get involved in on campus. Each of these organizations holds a different type of recruitment process, but generally takes freshman members in their rush groups.

Finding your place

Starting your college journey can feel overwhelming, but finding your place at Clemson doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re looking to dive deeper into your academic field, pursue a creative passion, represent your peers in student government, compete athletically or join a Greek organization, there is a place for you here. Becoming involved not only enriches your time at Clemson but also helps you grow as a student, leader and individual. So, don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Your Clemson experience is what you make of it, and it can start right away during your freshman year!

TigerQuest is a great online resource for finding the perfect organization for one’s interests. This tool provides a directory of all on-campus organizations. The University also holds Tiger Prowl each semester as an opportunity to meet and hear from each organization in person.