Finding Your Fit: Exploring Clubs and Other Penn State Activities

I hope I’m not the first to tell you, but college is about more than just the classes you take and the grades you get. I bet you’re worried about what clothes to pack, the people you’ll meet, and what school supplies you’ll need to get an A. However, my hope for you is that you choose to put yourself first and get the most out of your college experience. One great way to do this is to get involved, make friends, and have more fun than you thought was possible as a prospective engineering student!

Although if you were anything like me, the million and two clubs and organizations that Penn State has to offer are a little (or a lot) overwhelming. For this reason, I’m going to let you in on a few tips and tricks to make stress free and efficient choices.

1. Talk to everyone (the girl who sits beside you in physics, your new neighbors down the hall, the group that is always hanging out in the lobby, etc.)
   
   You’re going to spend a lot of time in the first few weeks of your college experience introducing yourself, making small talk, and feeling out other people’s personalities. Whether that excites you or makes you super squirmy, one good thing to talk about is clubs and organizations! You’ll find out what other first years are getting involved in, find a buddy to walk with to the first meeting, or meet your best friend for life.
   
   
2. Involvement Fair!
   
   If making small talk really isn’t your thing and you have more patience than I did, you can wait until the Involvement Fair makes its debut on the HUB lawn! At the Involvement Fair, student organizations set up booths and have older members talk one on one with students who are interested in joining. You’ll receive tons of info about Greek life, intramural and club sports, leadership organizations, honors societies… the list really goes on and on. The Involvement Fair will be held this fall on August 22 from 11 AM to 4 PM.
   
   
3. Online search
   
   So you’re late to the game, or you just really hate talking to people (either is totally fine, trust me) there are still ways to get involved at PSU!! If you feel awkward leaning over and asking strangers what they’re doing with their lives (definitely not as awkward as you think - people love to talk about the things they enjoy) you can always look for clubs and organizations to join online. There are currently 1042 clubs and organizations at PSU University Park and you can find them all here: https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/hub/studentorgs/orgdirectory/Search.aspx.

Once you choose how you want to get involved and are totally stoked to have the best (and most fun) college experience ever, there are just a few things that are good to do to keep up with the people who are already super excited about their club.

1. Send an email
   
   This can be an email to the president, a friend who is a member of the club, or anybody else who has any knowledge of the club whereabouts and activities.
   
   
2. Talk to other members
   
   Same sort of thing as the email, but actually get out and have a conversation! There’s no better way to get to know the personality of the club than by talking to the most active members.
   
   
3. Go to a meeting
   
   Duh, how are you ever going to get involved and find out if you enjoy something if you never go? We all have homework, yes, but sometimes taking a break, relaxing with some friends, and doing work outside the classroom is a great way to recharge your batteries.

Joining clubs and organizations at Penn State is one of the best ways to make friends and get involved. Don’t be afraid to apply for leadership positions (you might be a freshman, but you have a lot to contribute even if you’re running against seasoned members of the club). Make conversations, make connections, and make friends. Stay involved and make sure you have fun. I promise you won’t regret it (even if you miss out on an hour or two of studying each week - you’re going to need it).

By: Lucy Spicher (Envoy Team D)