I know you hear it a lot already, but seriously! It's advice you get from everyone because it is so important. If you do not get involved in your campus community and the town community surrounding it, you will get less out of the experience of college as a whole.

While there are anywhere between tens and hundreds of clubs on most college campuses, there are two that nearly every campus has, and that it would do you well to get involved in. Many schools have different names for these organizations, but they mostly do the same things for every campus. At my alma mater, Cazenovia College, those two clubs/organizations are SGA (Student Government Association) and CAB (Campus Activities Board). These two student-run groups are the ones that push for new and exciting events to take place on campus, and the ones that advocate for new policy to fit the population and the times. These organizations are the ones that ensure that your voice is heard on the campus and you have the opportunity to make the difference that you want to make.

So here's the run down. SGA, or your school's Student Government equivalent has a lot of functions, the most important and broad of which is to allow students to have a voice in the way the school is run. Granted, this voice's pull varies from school to school, but it beats having no say at all because you never joined. Many student government-type organizations have an executive board that you have to apply to, a general board that requires a more minimal application, and open meetings that are open to the entire campus community. Some also have committees that are focused in special areas of interest to the students. My most important piece of advice on joining this organization is to get involved as early as you possibly can. Some require a year of general board service before you can apply to the executive board, some require a certain GPA to become part of the executive board. But across the board, student government associations are meant to allow students to have a voice on campus, and if you want to have this voice, you should join in!

On the other hand, the Activities Board is, on most campuses, the group who decides (or at the very least runs), the things that are happening on the campus. There's karaoke going on in the dining hall? That's probably at their expense. Bingo happening tonight? That's most likely them too. Fun games on the quad? You guessed it. One of the most important goals of the activities board is to make sure that the students on campus have something fun and safe to do. It allows for networking between students who may not ordinarily meet. It allows you to take a break from the homework and the classes and the stress and just enjoy time with your friends. And the best part is that a lot of Activities Boards are run similarly to a club, which means you don't need to apply to join! Even if you do, most of these boards keep their meetings open, allowing all students to share their opinions on what should be happening on the campus.

I know it's a cliché thing to hear, and I know that most people like to try to avoid the cliché. But, there's a reason everyone is going to tell you to get involved. When it's coming from adults who are removed from the scene, it's easy to brush it off. But when you're hearing it from a recent grad, pay attention. When it comes from some, it is because they didn't get as involved as they now wish they had, and they think they would have enjoyed their time more if they had. From me, it's because I DID get involved, and looking back, most of my favorite memories come from the moments spent with friends I met in the things I was a part of. Whether you are a freshman looking at what to do with your first semester of college or a senior wishing you'd made a slightly larger impact in your campus, join in on the fun! Look for things that interest you and go get involved! I promise, if you find the right clubs and really join in, you will have so much more fun and you will make friends that you will hold on to for years to come. Enjoy your time in college; it'll be over before you know it.