Life on Campus

Life on Campus

Depending on where you go to school, life on campus will vary. For those people who go to College or University in rural areas or 201Cin the middle of nowhere201D towns, a lively campus life is extremely important. Probably if you go to NYU you do not care that much about where the frat party is going to be that Friday (Tuesday?).

Most schools have active campuses: clubs, organizations, sports, activities, events, and parties. It is up to you to get involved and engage the world through them.

Clubs & Organizations

Almost all universities and colleges have clubs and organizations created and run by students. Probably the number of clubs depends on how active students are on campus, and whether they manage to organize themselves. In most cases, all clubs and organizations have a faculty advisor that helps them with college or university policy, as well as allowing them to have a little bit more relevance on campus.

Different students with different interest decide to get organized and create these clubs. These may be in politics, economics, social causes, photography, art, languages, computers, comics, sports, and many other pass-times. The objective of these clubs may vary, some have social or political causes they pursue, and other may be more aimed at interacting with people who have similar interests.

Some schools also have a Student Senate, which can be included under the category of a club. Student Senate is an option for all those students who are interested in future careers as politicians, or those who are legitimately interested in participating in decision-making processes regarding university or college policies.

Fraternities & Sororities

Fraternities and sororities are forms of organization present in many universities throughout the US. Fraternities are male or mixed-sex corporations, and sororities refer to all-women ones. Fraternities are generally social organizations, based on loyalties among its members. Some have a more of community service, professional advancement, or scholastic achievement goal, although all of these are some of the characteristics that all fraternities have. In addition, many frats and sororities have philanthropic causes to which they destine their semester dues. Finally, fraternities and sororities through many parties and host social events on campus, this makes them even more attractive to join than any other organization or club.

Sports

For all you jocks and jock wannabes, there are always professional team sports and varsity sports. Universities and colleges have: football, soccer, handball, basketball, swimming, track & field, volleyball, baseball, softball, among other teams. Students, who do not want to do it professionally, can join the varsity league and still enjoy their favorite sport, without the ten hours of practice per week. For those who are more interested in having fun, there is always the Frisbee team!

Community Service

Students, who are interested in community service, always have an infrastructure of community service available for them to help others. Whatever for it may take: cleaning; painting; teaching ESL; tutoring; or etc, community service is always a valuable activity to pursue while at school.

Social life

The easiest way of meeting people is in your dorm or hall. Try to make friends with the people in your floor, and especially those in your room2026It is always a good idea to get along with your roommates, otherwise life will be a lot more complicated. Try to be compromising and understanding, because living with people you do not know could be quite a stressful endeavor otherwise.

Participating in social activities promoted by the school or clubs (i.e. parties, balls, formals, shows, dinner, etc) could also be a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and socialize with other students that you might never have seen before. Try taking risks and going to events that you never before thought you would attend. You never know who you might meet.

Be careful with alcohol and drug consumption. Please remember that you are not allowed to drink, unless you are 21 years old. Drugs and alcohol can seriously damage your professional and personal life. Loosing control may sound like a great idea at some point, but it actually is not. Try to look for other stress outlets: sports, TV, movies, dinner with friends, among other, are perfect ways to wind down and chill out.

Classes and Academia

Last but not least, let2019s not forget why we go to school: classes and knowledge. Yes, this might not be as fun as Frisbee, but it is the most important issue at hand. Before making any foolish decisions, contact your faculty adviser and ask him/her what the best way to achieve your academic goals is. Plan ahead, pick your classes baring in mind the fact that you are preparing yourself for your professional future, and not based on what time the class starts.

Attend classes, do your work, study, and enjoy the pleasure of knowledge. Remember that not only you (or your parents) are paying for this education, but also this may be the only chance you have to participate in an academic environment. Take advantage of the possibility of having professors who are experts in different subjects. Ask professors questions, try to get involved in the field you are interested in, and engage in as many academic activities as you can.

My advice is to take advantage of the experience as much as you possible can, make friends, build your social network, interact, learn, have fun, and try to live your life as healthily as possible.