Get Involved

Be a Part of the Action, Join the Fun

With an undergraduate enrollment of nearly 33,000, set in Florida’s capital city, FSU spans 476 acres. It seems huge, doesn’t it? Yet there are many ways to make this giant university feel smaller. Some students will choose to rush a sorority or fraternity (see our blogs about that here), but others will not find Greek life their cup of tea. No worries; there are many other possible ways to get involved and join in on-campus life and activity.

Some of you may believe that your student’s first job is school, and I couldn’t agree more. Being involved in some way is rather important too. Firstly, joining a club will help your students build a community. Since they’re leaving their family and sometimes their friends behind, getting involved helps them to discover new friends with similar interests. It only takes a few friends to make a large school feel smaller.

Join Now

Joining clubs or organizations allows students to discover their passions and strengths. It also helps them to discover what they don’t like, which can be just as important. Freshman year is not too soon to begin thinking about positioning yourself for future employment. Club involvement helps to build resumes. Sometimes, busier kids do better in all areas. True, this isn’t so for all students, but it is for my kids and me. More free time does not always equal better grades. Being involved will require some organization and time management on the part of the student—and that’s a good thing to master as well.

Now that we’ve established the benefits of being involved in something other than a happy hour; the question is where they find the right club or organization. Firstly, encourage your student to explore and not settle for the first club they visit. If after a few meetings they realize that this is not where their passion lies; they should move on…and try another. I say go with an open mind and try everything once. One of my daughters attended Her Campus meeting, simply because her friend invited her. She instantly enjoyed it and in time became a writer and editor-in-chief. She not only loved the positions, but it helped to guide her to choose a new major and looked great on her resume.

So Many Choices

I would love to give you a list of all the different places your student can get involved, but FSU literally has over 600 Recognized Student Organizations on campus. Your student can check for more information on this website. There are always flyers and signs around campus as well. FSU even has a Quidditch league.

Below is a list of some popular clubs/organizations:

• The Big Event is a student-run service project to basically say thank you to the residents of Tallahassee. It is one of the largest events of this kind in the nation.
• Student Government – Perhaps a voice in FSU’s student government is of interest to your student. This is a great way to hone those leadership skills.
• Dance Marathon is wildly popular amongst sorority girls, but truly there are many others who love to get involved. It is a yearlong event of planning and fundraising culminating in a dance marathon. When else would you get the chance to dance for 40 hours straight while raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network? It’s pretty awesome.
• Church groups – Wesley United Methodist Church is just one, but it is pretty popular. There are many religious groups for students. Check out the list here.
• Chabad or Hillel Both offer holiday and Shabbat dinners and a whole lot more. This is a great alternative since it can be difficult for kids to get home for holidays.
• Intramural sports are a great option. It can be fun and it provides exercise and stress relief.
• Quiddich Team  I admit; I had to look this up. It is a co-ed, full-contact sport with a unique mix of elements coming from rugby, dodgeball, and a few other sports; adapted from the world of Harry Potter.
• Clutch Magazine – FSU’s premiere fashion magazine.
• New Member Institute Facilitator Applications: Students need to apply for the opportunity to go on a retreat November 8-10th, and facilitate programming for new members. This New Member Institute is for all four councils. It is an amazing way to branch out, meet new people, and sharpen your leadership skills.
• Panhellenic Executive Board – Applications are open now, but close Friday, October 11, 2019. The application is also be found in the bio on @fsupanhellenic Instagram.
• 2020 Homecoming Executive Council applications are open.

It’s not necessarily what they do, but rather that they find their place.

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