Although everyone’s expectations of the “perfect college experience” tends to vary from person to person, it differs based on preferred campus size, amenities, or even the number of quiet floors in the library, everyone has the same question in mind: “will I be able to make friends here?”
Any guidance counselor or college tour guide will tell you that the best way to truly get involved in your school and put yourself out there is to join clubs. Although intimidating, this truly is the best way to actually get to know your campus, your peers, and even potential lifelong friends.
We have an extremely diverse campus that is the force behind our broad array of student clubs and organizations. This same characteristic allows for us to have any kind of club you could possibly imagine from cultural clubs to academic clubs to clubs based around any potential hobbies you may have. As a freshman student, it is imperative that you attend club events such as Welcome Day and club fairs in order to really weigh all of your options and see exactly how many clubs you have to choose from even if you don’t feel completely ready to submerge yourself in activities just yet.
Kimberly Wyllie, President of the Political Science Club here at QC, believes that there is no “right time” to get involved in clubs stating that “the right time for someone to join and get involved is whenever the person feels ready.” There tends to be a lot of pressure surrounding first year students and quickly getting involved on campus very early on, but as Wyllie reported that “it can be very hectic as one is adjusting.” When you feel that you are ready to get involved, it is suggested that you reach out to friends, club members, student government, or walk around the club basement in the Student Union building as there are always club representatives and members hanging out in their respective club’s room.
Many students who join clubs in college are more likely to get acclimated to their new surroundings and peers quite quickly and oftentimes feel a sense of belonging early on. For example, Jenna Choi, President of ASIA (Asian Students In Action), told The Knight News about how she felt when first joining the club compared to now. Choi said, “I was intimidated last year as I was an incoming freshman, but I warmed up to the club very quickly and I am proud to be close friends with many of them.”
Jenna is just one example of a freshman student who was able to find a community of people who “share the same interests, struggles, and even hobbies” as she does and even refers to the members of her respective club as “family.” Jenna also wanted to let incoming students know that they should ”not be afraid of the numbers” as many clubs at QC have a large number of students, but that just means there’s an even bigger chance to make great new friends!
