College can be the best four years of your entire life…or the worst; it all depends on you. Almost anyone who graduated college would tell you that the absolute key to making the best of your four years is getting involved on campus. Another part of that key is also studying a subject that you love.
Getting involved does so many things for you. It introduces you to people who have the same or similar interests to you, it provides you with fun extracurricular work and events, and it really gives you another purpose on campus than just being a student.
Amy Bellina, Director of Student Activities, said, “Getting involved helps students feel connected to and a part of Monmouth University. It is an opportunity to meet people, support each other, learn from your experiences here, and build a resume through outside of the classroom opportunities.”
Monmouth’s campus has hundreds of organizations, clubs, and service opportunities that anyone can get involved in and if you don’t see something you like or you want to add to the selections, you can do that too.
These clubs, organizations, etc. all surround one main idea or purpose that is applicable to the hobbies/interests of many students. This is why when you join one thing, it opens you up to your own little world filled with people that share a common interest. This makes it easier to make friends to begin with, if you are a freshman, or to add to your already existing friend group.
Senior biology student, Shannon Marren, is involved in an incredible amount of things on campus. She is captain of the Monmouth Dance Team, a sister of Alpha Xi Delta, a member and mentor of the Honors School, a member of numerous honor societies, and was most recently an Orientation Leader this past summer.
Marren is extremely grateful for the countless hats she wears on campus and urges all students to get involved in something.
While it takes a special person to be as involved as Marren is, she believes that getting involved in something is imperative in making the most out of the four years you have at Monmouth.
“The connections and relationships you make throughout your different levels of involvement are unparalleled,” said Marren.
She continued, “My experience here at Monmouth would be nothing without the organizations I am a part of and I leave here [in the spring] with a sense of pride that I have left a legacy at my home, which is Monmouth.”
Gina Geletei, former Vice President of Major and Special Events of the Student Acitivites Board (SAB) and current general member, said, “That experience [of joining the SAB] helped me meet a whole group of amazing individuals, some of which have become my best friends, and some who have taught me incredible lessons. I’ve learned transferable skills to my major and made connections with professional staff members and administrators just by being involved.”
Once you get involved in one thing, there really is no telling how many more things you will get involved with. For Geletei, that was just the gateway to becoming involved in just about anything she could get her hands on. The story is the same for many students.
Geletei said, “Having that one involvement as a freshman [with the SAB] opened doors for me to become an Orientation Leader, a Peer Learning Assistant, a Writing Assistant, and the Logistics Coordinator for New Student Orientation. Without the connections, mentors, and support I had from SAB in those first few weeks, I never would have had the confidence to go out for these jobs and positions.”
When you get involved, it is up to you just how involved you are going to be in the organization or club. If you decide you want to get your hands dirty, you will most likely be taking some work for the club/organization with you. However, this is not a bad thing; it is something that you can really get into and express your passion and develop your leadership and confidence, much like what happened with Geletei.
Lastly, getting involved really does give you even more purpose. It is so important to give yourself a purpose other than just getting a degree. These clubs/organizations are to develop your sense of creativity and urges to discover new things. You may never know that you had a love of government if you don’t join SGA, or a knack for survival skills if you don’t join the Outdoors Club.
Bellina said, “You can also join organizations that are related to a major and therefore learn more about that major and careers associated with it. Professors who work with the club can be great resources and mentors.” Getting involved not only creates lifelong bonds with new friends, but it bolsters your interests related to you majors and minors.
In order to be the happiest you can be in your four years at Monmouth, you have to find your niche in your studies. Some may say that is easier said than done, but by taking some odd courses here and there as electives, you may be surprised at what you are most attracted to.
Even if you are an upperclassmen, if you find something later in your college career that you feel you can’t live without exploring it more—minor in it.
Many students forget the option of minoring in different areas of study, and that you can have more than one. Some like to think of minors as little passion degrees; maybe you didn’t want to have a career in archaeology or sociology, but you just thoroughly enjoyed studying it.
College is an era of exploration in your life; it would be a shame if you didn’t take advantage of that in all areas. Study what you want. Get involved in what you want. Most importantly, do only what makes you happy—that’s the key to making these four years here at Monmouth the best four years of your life.
If you’re looking to get involved, Bellina has some important dates from the Office of Student Activities to share; there are three “Getting Connected” sessions, which are, according to Bellina, sessions for students who are looking for ways to get involved in clubs and organizations or events on campus.” If you would like to attend here is the information:
Sept 15, Sept 22, or Sept 29 at 4pm; 202A of the Student Center.
IMAGE TAKEN from Monmouth Dance Team Instagram
