You go into college, fresh out of high school, and normally, a week earlier than returning students. It's a week specifically for incoming freshman and transfer students to see what their university is all about! During this week, organizations from Greek life to astronomy club join you on campus waiting to encourage you to become involved in something on campus and really, the opportunities are pretty much endless! You can get pretty overwhelmed, and feel slightly pressured between peers and the groups alike to join SOMETHING.
All in all, it's an amazing thing to be involved! You find friends quickly and you don't feel so alone on this giant campus covered with people you have no idea the names of. You get to learn so much about things you enjoy and so much about the campus you will shortly come to love, but all the same time, maybe you don't find a place you fit in, maybe you're shy and don't feel comfortable putting yourself out there.
I'm here to tell you that it is all going be okay! You know, while it's incredibly rewarding to join an organization, or multiple, you don't have to. Yes I said it. You DON'T have to join something. It's your first semester in college, a totally different atmosphere than the high school life you're used to where you basically join everything, without even realizing it. You want to get the hang out things. You want to learn how to study (because it's not the same as studying in high school....trust me), you want to build some connections on your own, finding friends in classes so you don't have to struggle with math or any class all by yourself, you want to just simply make sure you can handle this life, before you completely lose it. You see your peers around you that seem to join every organization available, but you're not them. You're you, and you don't have to do that.
Take it slow. Use you're first semester to get a good grip on the college life. Use this time to explore you're options and see where you fit in. Now, don't use this as an excuse to just hide in a hole and only study and go to class. I HIGHLY recommend joining an organization that fits your personality, but when you're ready. You grow as a student, as a friend, and as a person as a whole. Enjoy college. Join a sorority/fraternity. Be apart of that crazy basketball support team. Go hang out with the members of the chemistry club because it's your favorite subject. It's totally worth ALL of it in the end. No matter what you do or how long it takes. :)
