Fostering a sense of community is a vital part of establishing relationships and feeling more at home while in school. Just as our campus offers many opportunities for community building, such as clubs, sports and other events, the city of Clemson also has many opportunities. From volunteering to classes, there are many different ways to gain fulfilling experiences this school year.
One of my favorite opportunities is also one that may help with the homesickness that many students experience: volunteering at local animal shelters. Activities like walking and playing with the shelter dogs, and relaxing with the cats can make for a great day for you, and an even better day for the animals.
This particularly fulfilling opportunity can start as just a simple volunteer application to a shelter. Surrounding cities such as Greenville have similar programs. For example, Paws Around Greenville allows you to take a shelter dog on a fun adventure for a couple of hours.
Many other organizations also offer ways to help in the community. Clemson Hope, for example, works to “empower students and teachers in Title 1 schools through various programs.” These volunteer programs include one-on-one mentoring, recreational mentoring and more. Mentors aid elementary students with everything from homework to recess, encouraging positive interactions and relationship building between mentors and students.
Clemson Hope also offers a Spanish mentoring program, as well as a Writing for Hope program, which aims to grow creativity and writing skills through a pen pal system between the volunteer and students at Clemson Hope. This program is rewarding for both the volunteers and the students, allowing volunteers to make a lasting impact in the lives of these elementary students.
The City of Clemson Arts Center is another wonderful place to connect with people. This center offers many opportunities for learning different styles of art and craft, as well as perfecting the crafts you already enjoy. Classes that are offered currently include wheelthrowing, painting, quilting, print making and more!
If you want the best of both worlds, there are also many University clubs and organizations that foster the Clemson community. These organizations can be found at annual TigerProwl events, as well as on TigerQuest online.
Volunteering and getting involved in your community, whether at Clemson University or within the city of Clemson, can allow you to give back to your community and create new opportunities and friendships for yourself.
