Getting Involved on Campus

Showing up as a new student freshman year, I wasn’t too sure how I could get involved on campus when I couldn’t even find where my classes were. It can seem pretty intimidating to get involved on campus – but it isn’t as scary as it looks! I have some tips for you to avoid being cooped up in your dorm all the time… as easy as that seems to be.

1. Make friends with the people who live on your floor. The easiest thing you can do is just leave your dorm door open! Put a fun movie on or some music, and people will for sure be interested. Other ways to get acquainted on your floor is to show up for the events that your RA puts on, or ask about having a floor get together, like dinner. 

2. Get an on-campus job. What is better than getting paid to do something you like? There are so many student jobs on campus, from being a TA for your favorite teacher, to working in the Cougar Den. I love having the opportunity to work an on-campus job, because it requires no driving and fits right into my schedule. As a part of the Marketing & Communications Department, I get to work so many on-campus events and make lots of student connections.

3. Look at the event board. The Student Government Association (SGA) is known for all of the events happening, so it is always a good idea to check their board in the lower level of the student center. They also post lots of cool events on instagram, so give them a follow @springarborsga (small plug). SGA puts on so many fun events such as 80s Skate Night, Movie on the Lawn, and Arbor Nights to name a few.

4. Join a club or sports team. The best decision that I made coming to SAU was joining the track and field team. It is an amazing way to make friends who are similar to you, and being a student athlete keeps you very in-touch with what is happening around campus. SGA also runs intramurals during the semester. These are a great way to get your fix of competitive sports and build connections with your floor. If you are not an athletic person, there are also many clubs to join, and with the help of a faculty advisor you could make your own!

5. Learn about the on-campus ministries. At SAU, we are fortunate to have many amazing student-led ministries. Met By Love (MBL) is a fun, spirit-led worship night that happens every Monday at 9pm in the Poling Lobby. Another is Delight Ministries, a women-led ministry that focuses on building community. The SAU Spiritual Life team also organizes Deeper in the Ralph Carey Forum (RCF) every Thursday night, where you can expect to hear a word from students and faculty. 

It is important to know that you can’t get involved if you don’t put yourself out there. The most important thing is to show up, and be yourself! I hope that you can take what I have said and use it to make your time at Spring Arbor the best it can be.

Written by SAU Marketing student Annabella Chirco.