It’s back to school time and you know exactly what that means; jobs, organizations, and tons of fun activities to be involved in.

Here are the 10 top things to get involved in here at Mizzou.

1. STRIPES

Applications will open at the middle of the semester, so pay attention and apply. You volunteer for 4 nights in a semester and then you earn your orange thumbprint. Its pretty easy, you show up, drive or navigate, and then get people home safe while having fun. Some of the best laughs came at 2 am with my STRIPES friends who had a funny story about something that happened during our night. My favorite part is going and getting multiple XL iced coffee drinks from Dunkin’ and eating yummy food with some of the funniest people around.

2. A CAMPUS MINISTRY

Obviously I am bias towards the Christian Campus House, but being surrounded by people who believe in God and who want the best for you and those around you is one of the greatest feelings in the world. But that isn’t it, Mizzou offers multiple different campus ministries such as Cru, The Salt Co, and The Rock just to name a few. Attend a few services, grow, and decide where your heart would like to rest and grow with your peers and with the Lord. Even if you aren’t very religious, its still a great way to meet new people, expand your horizon, and grow.

3. MIZZOU ALTERNATIVE BREAKS

My first MAB trip was this last spring in Memphis, TN and let me just say it was one of the best trips of my life. I spent one week with 12 of the kindest, most open hearted loves that I could have imagined and I grew so much. MAB is an organization in which you do a service trip for your entirety of your spring break. Really it can be any break that you apply and try to do, but it's amazing and something you should think about.

4. AN ORGANIZATION WITHIN YOUR MAJOR

Getting involved in a school of 30,000 other students is hard. But each major has organizations and groups to get involved in that are super fun. They’re great because they’re related to your major and can be super helpful for internships, friends within your major, and networking. Who doesn’t love networking!

5. MIZZOU ODYSSEY

Duh! I wouldn’t be an honest and awesome Editor-in-Chief if I didn’t have my own shameless plug for you to join Odyssey. Apply because you love to write and share your experiences, apply because you want to share your voice, and apply because it’s a great resume booster and you get to meet amazing individuals who are crazy cool. Apply here: https://muse.theodysseyonline.com/apply

6. THE REC OR TIGER X CLASSES

Looking for a way to get fit through the school year or just to maintain your weight? Look no further than our own fitness center! You already pay for your way into the gym! Don’t feel intimidated; we all have to start somewhere. Just lace up your shoes, grab your student ID and get started. Grab a buddy and then you’re more likely to feel like you can accomplish your workout. Or get a Tiger X Class Pass and you can join the fitness, dance, and yoga inspired classes for a small fee!

7. MSA

Missouri Student Association is like student government. Getting involved in MSA opens doors to many different roles. Check out: (https://msa.missouri.edu/about/get-involved/ ) and apply today to represent your dorm, organization, and peers.

8. MIZZOU AFTER DARK

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to Mizzou After Dark events because its awesome that they support a way to have some fun and meet new people without the need to get drunk. Mizzou After Dark has an entire year of events for students who live on and off of campus that can come and enjoy a night of free activities that are always loads of fun! Grab your friends, your student ID and get going!

9. AN INTERNATIONAL STUDIES GROUP

The Christian Campus House offers a ministry called, “Conversation Partners” where you literally learn how to converse and share the word of God to others of a different culture. It’s a great way to push your boundaries and also a great way to challenge yourself in your knowledge of the bible. Different schools within Mizzou also offer opportunities similar to CCH’s and they are all a great idea to have some fun and get to know other cultures.

10. TIGER PANTRY

I actually happened upon Tiger Pantry’s twitter feed without knowing anything about it. Before I knew it I had applied to be a volunteer and then found myself applying to be a manager for the Tiger Pantry crew! It’s a great way to give back to our community of fellow Tigers and help fight insecurities within our campus.

Now, I know there are TONS of other opportunities and organizations that you can get involved in on campus. This is not an exhaustive list. But I love each and every single one of these organizations and they are worthy of you checking them out to see if you might love them as much as I do. If you every have any questions feel free to comment or email me at chcrm8@mail.missouri.edu to ask any questions. ENJOY.