By: Kyra Macomber
Getting involved in on-campus activities and groups can certainly be intimidating when you first start your college experience. For some, it’s easy to jump right in, but my first semester was more like dipping my toes in the extracurricular pool.
I would go to my classes then come back to my dorm and work on assignments and that’s it. By the end of the semester, I had no extracurriculars under my belt. My second semester I joined the Central Michigan University Concert Choir as a way of soft launching myself into campus life, and I tried to attend more events on campus as well as getting an on-campus job. Then, at the beginning of this year, I started attending registered student organizations. Through my experiences, I have broadened my horizons both academically and socially.
Getting involved on campus at first can be challenging, especially if you don’t know where to start. For CMU, looking at Central Michigan Life publications is where I first found out how many RSOs there are on campus. They send emails talking about the different events happening on campus that week with many being hosted by RSOs. Another place to start would be Engage Central, a website with every CMU RSO, including information about upcoming meetings and events.
Every semester, CMU has an event called MainStage, where different RSOs go to recruit new members. Here, you can find RSOs that will push you academically, will be well-suited to your specific interests or may introduce you to a new hobby! MainStage is actually where I learned more about PRSSA and decided to join! MainStage for this semester is Jan. 29 and is the perfect opportunity to dive into campus life.
Although it was intimidating, becoming more active on campus is something I’ve never regretted. College is a limited time experience, but getting the most I can out of my time at CMU has fulfilled me academically and socially.