Everyone gets nervous when first attending a college or university. There are sometimes thousands of people you’ve never seen before and tons of organizations trying to recruit new members every semester! Whether you are new to a school or just want to get more involved, here are five tips I found helpful when navigating campus and making new friends!

1 – Connect to campus

College campuses are full of resources to help each student in different aspects. Reflect on your unique interests and hobbies, and then do a Google search of your school’s organizations on campus. Some schools have a special organization portal that you can search using keywords, or you can just simply search using a search engine and include your school’s name.

2 – Build your resume

Employers like candidates who can demonstrate confidence. Showing that you are involved on campus offers a great talking point in each interview. It can also spark a similarity between you and the interviewer – maybe your employer or interviewer has the same interest!

3 – Improve your grades

Multitasking and time management are KEY to balancing coursework with participation in multiple organizations. It’s been proven that being in organizations requires excellent time management that can be transferred to your grades and school work and in the end boost your GPA!

4 – Find your true self

When you find the perfect organization to get involved with you’ll start to figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are. Getting involved on campus allows you to find out what you like and don’t like. Once you find your niche, you can carry this with you for the rest of your life.

5 – Establish a home away from home

College should feel like home and so should each organization that you’re in. Once in the organization that you love, you will find your best friends and some will become like family. Leaving your own family for school may be tough but in the end finding an organization and club gives you a place to call home away from home.

Getting involved on campus is challenging when you are new to the area and don’t know where to start. However, being involved in an organization is essential to building a network on campus, identifying your strengths and weaknesses, building your resume, and even improving your grades! With these tips you will be set to explore campus and get involved!