Graphic by: Len Duenas
Whether you’ll be a first-year or returning student this semester, getting involved on campus can be an exciting endeavor. It provides benefits such as academic and professional development and an extended friend group.
UH offers its diverse student body a myriad of opportunities to pursue a purposeful and active social life, which can make it difficult to narrow your options and find the organization that best suits you and your personal or academic needs.
Here are some tips on navigating student life and making your time at UH worthwhile.
Know Your Interests
The first step is to list all of your interests. These interests don’t necessarily have to align with your major or minor. They can be anything you enjoy doing.
Knowing your interests will make it easier to identify an opportunity to get involved when it is presented to you.
Once you’ve listed all of your interests, pick the top three or five, depending on how many there are. This will narrow down clubs to consider and help prioritize the interests that will benefit you the most in the long run.
Search GetInvolved
GetInvolved is a wonderful resource UH provides to students looking for a club to join or an on-campus activity to participate in. Once you’ve adjusted your list of interests, take an hour or two to search through GetInvolved for organizations that are focused on those.
Be open-minded when navigating GetInvolved. If something that isn’t on your list sparks your interest or curiosity, consider it. The purpose of this session is to explore all that UH has to offer and discover interests you hadn’t thought of before.
Be sure to also browse through the events page, as you can find free club events to attend or activities on and around campus to participate in. Attending these events will give you the opportunity to learn more about the clubs you are interested in and meet new acquaintances who could become good friends.
Follow Org Social Media Pages
GetInvolved usually includes the contact information for club officers and the links to the organization’s social media. Make sure to follow all the organizations you are interested in.
Instagram, in particular, will suggest similar club accounts to you. Be open-minded and follow those too. Even if you don’t find them interesting, it’s always good to know what other organizations are doing. One day you might find an event or activity that you like.
Spot Promotional Flyers
Don’t walk to your next class looking down at your phone. Be observant. Many organizations will post flyers promoting an upcoming event on poles or outdoor kiosks. Look around and something of interest may catch your eye.
Some of these flyers will usually include a QR code link to the club’s Discord or other social media, so make sure to follow them.
Always try to glance at the digital screens inside the student centers, as it will also sometimes advertise upcoming student club events.
It’s also good to look at the A-frames when entering and leaving Student Center South because you can find information about upcoming social and career development events.
Attend Events
The University of Career Services and UH Dining are always putting on events to engage and bring students together. UCS hosts several career mixers every semester, and UH Dining presents its Cultural Series events to celebrate the diversity at UH.
Attending these events can connect you to other students with similar interests or cultural backgrounds. UH Dining, in particular, usually works with student organizations for cultural events, so you could mingle with attending officers and discuss joining the club.
Ask Your Classmates
One of the best ways to get involved is to network with those around you. Get acquainted with the students who sit near you in class. Initiate a conversation about their interests and what they like to do for fun. They might just happen to mention a club they’re in or an on-campus event they’re attending after class.
Student life at UH can be enriching and fulfilling, developing you as a well-rounded individual and providing long-term personal and professional connections. Finding an organization to join may not be easy, but follow these tips, and you’ll find your place at UH in no time.
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