As soon as your student arrives on campus to begin the fall semester, they are surrounded by many ways to “get involved”. Chalk messages are scrawled on the sidewalk by various organizations, event posters cover every inch of bulletin boards, and over 300 student organizations take over Norlin Quad for the Be Involved Fair – allowing students to spend an afternoon interacting with potential groups they can join.
But what does “getting involved” mean for your student? Why is it so important to get involved?
Getting involved on campus benefits your student in a number of ways. In addition to exploring any hobbies, passions, and interests they may have, joining a student organization allows for leadership development and experience they can use in other areas of life. They have opportunities to meet new people, make friends and find a close-knit community. More importantly, getting involved gives them a way to deal with homesickness and combat loneliness by gaining a sense of belonging away from home.
Overall, “getting involved” is more than just attending an event or signing up for a student organization. If your student is feeling lonely or feels like they haven’t found their place yet on campus, encourage them to reach out and explore their options. They could think of a few interests or hobbies they have and search through our list of over 450 student organizations to find one that fits, supported by the Center for Student Involvement. Volunteering is another great way to get involved and give back at the same time. Students can contact or visit the Volunteer Resource Center to find a variety of volunteer opportunities. And if your student lives on campus, it’s easy to get involved at their residence hall. They might already be a part of a Residential Academic Program, First Year Interest Group or Living & Learning Community, and they can also get involved through the Residence Hall Association or Hall Council.
Getting involved is not just for students, either. We strongly encourage parents and families to get involved as well and strengthen their connection to CU as a Buff Family. Find out how you can get involved with our Family Programs, including our upcoming Family Weekend.
