Get Involved: Festifall & Northfest, and Student Organizations

 If you think choosing a major and getting straight A’s are what college life is all about, you might want to think again. While those criteria should certainly be any good college student’s priority, the University of Michigan offers much more than just academic excellence. Through your meaningful involvement in student organizations, you can build relationships, enrich your campus experience, and perhaps even create lifelong memories, all of which may not be possible with simply attending classes or going to library. 

(“You do not want just this to define your college life, do you?”)

 

There is no strict guideline as to how to join a student organization, but the best and surest way to get as much information as possible is through Festifall and Northfest. These are the annual fall student organization information fairs, and they provide an excellent opportunity for new students to learn about different organizations and discover ways to get involved (Festifall: Thursday, September 6 from 11am-4pm on the Central Campus Diag; Northfest: Tuesday, September 11^th from 11am-3pm on the North Campus Diag; you can check out the participants list at http://campusinvolvement.umich.edu/content/festifall-and-northfest-participants-2013). 

(Bustling crowd at Festifall, http://campusinvolvement.umich.edu/article/student-org-kick)

  

And I really must stress the importance of both events; they are NOT one of those campus events you can ignore and move on. Even if you are not currently interested in any type of campus involvement, chances are high that you will change your mind once you are there, given the number of participating organizations as well as the wide range of topics/subjects/issues they cover. Or, let’s say you are that rare person who finds none of the organizations slightly intriguing. There is still a benefit of going to the event. You will witness what a truly vibrant community this university is, as students flock into the Diag to ask questions and members of some organizations stage creative performances in order to attract the crowd.

When you are at Festifall or Northfest, don’t be shy! The organizations’ representatives are there to gain your attention and they will be more than happy to answer your questions. When you see something catchy or interesting, do not hesitate to walk up to the table and ask what it is about. If you want to get further information or possibly attend that organization’s mass meeting, simply put your name and uniqname on the sign-up sheets and you will be on their mailing list. It is that easy. 

  (Festifall 2012, http://campusinvolvement.umich.edu/article/department-festifall-and-northfest-2013)

 

You might now be wondering: I have absolutely no idea about what kind of student organization I should join, so where do I begin my search? Well, the answer might be easier than you’d expect. The fact that you are an international student provides one way of tacking this issue: start your experience with minority & ethnic-based organizations. I understand that the typical atmosphere or environment of many student organizations can be quite overwhelming for you, since such activity requires tons of communication skills – something that new international students might not yet have developed at this stage. Thus, minority & ethnic-based organizations where you find your peers who are of the same nationality can be a natural starting point for many international students. For instance, I joined Korean International Student Association when I was freshman, and continue to be their member even though I participate in other organizations as well.

Another way to think about this is to go by your major. Students from each department often form their own organizations, and by getting involved in this type of club you not only obtain valuable information about future courses, professors, and career prospects from upper classmen, but also build relationships and networks within the major of your choosing. I personally have benefited tremendously as a member of Undergraduate Political Science Association and Pi Sigma Alpha, the honors society for political science students here at Michigan.

As a matter of fact, you don’t have to follow any of the above-mentioned advices regarding campus involvement. You are free to disregard such traditional notions for choosing an organization and instead simply follow your own preference. If something interests you, go ahead and give it a try. In case that thing turns out to be a disappointment, you can always withdraw your participation from the organization. After all, they are essentially different from academic experience; there is no attendance requirement, no grade, and no pressure. Conversely, if you become really passionate about your choice, you may contribute more by serving as a board member and thus sharing the responsibility of running a student organization together with your peers. When it comes to extracurricular activities, what really matters are your interest and your choice, and there are almost infinite possibilities to create your own transformative experience. That’s the beauty of getting involved in campus organizations.

For more information about the student organizations here on campus, visit Maize Pages: https://maizepages.umich.edu/Organizations. Most student organizations are registered here and they provide brief descriptions regarding who they are and what they do.

 

Written By: Ji-Won Lim, Undergraduate Student studying Political Science and International Studies