It’s a real shame when a university student comes out at the end of his university career having gained no more than a degree, don’t you think? Your university experience, believe it or not, can actually be fun! It can provide you with a social life, be a good pastime for when you have random hour-long breaks between classes, and help you develop your talents (or even pick up some new ones!). While at university you can even get you experience for your résumé to boost your career, in case your actual degree doesn’t do the trick (hello, English majors!). All you need to do is get involved, and all you need to do to get involved is look around, and trust me, you will find treasures!
Here are a couple of ideas for getting involved at UTM.
Join a club. The number of clubs available on campus is unimaginably high. There’s a club for pretty much every interest, be it ethnic, artistic, or academic.
You know how there was always this little part of you that wanted to become an artist? Or maybe a performer? Well, it’s not too late! Take part in events organized by the various clubs, such as Open Mic Nights or showings at the Blackwood Art Gallery, that touch on your artistic side—which I am absolutely positive is not long lost, despite the pile of essays and papers you’re forced to write.
The same applies to sports! If you were a star on the football field, could shoot hoops like nobody’s business, or used to tread waters like a fish, then join a sports team on campus. Not only will you get the chance to play a sport you love, you can also join a sports club, organize game screenings, and get together with other fans of your favourite team. Besides, it’s a chance to stay fit, and who doesn’t want to stay fit?
If you’re looking for a more serious approach to getting involved, you can always become an exec in one of the many clubs! You’ll find yourself dealing with administration, bureaucracy, and office politics, if that’s your kind of thing, but you’ll also get the satisfaction of making everything run smoothly for the members.
Meanwhile, the AccessAbility Centre and the First Aid Centre are both direct ways for you to get involved while doing something good for the world. Pretty sweet deal!
Volunteering at the Office of the Registrar also gives you a chance to gain actual work experience and help other students navigate university. You also get the chance to introduce freshmen to our campus and help them adapt to their new lives here.
If you live on residence, you can apply for dinner duty and help other rez students… and then there are always floor parties and trips and the chance to have the picture-perfect fun university experience! (Just try to attend your lectures the next morning.)
The Career Centre hosts various events throughout the year to help you sort out your future. Attending those is always a useful and pretty easy way to get involved.
Last but not least: The Medium! Writing for The Medium, like yours truly, allows you to get in touch with your interests and develop your writing skills.
So get up, stretch, look around, and go do something that will end up contributing to an exciting and worthwhile university experience.
