Plugging into extracurricular life on any college campus can be difficult but there’s just something unfortunate about Pepperdine that makes it easy for unsuspecting students to slip by unnoticed. Though it can be a frustrating process crossing that line between “all I do is go to class” and “I have friends from eight different organizations” is one of the best things you can do to make the most of campus life. The university offers dozens of opportunities for service recreation and leadership outside of the classroom; there are activities for every personality type and level of commitment. Joining an organization can revolutionize your entire college experience.
Look around you. It’s so easy to walk right past the tables across from the Oasis but they might just be the best most accessible source of information on extracurricular activities. Even if you’re hungry or on your way to meet that cute girl from Humanities listening to what the students there have to say about their philanthropy or upcoming fundraiser can open your eyes to so many opportunities on campus. Those kids are taking their own time to advertise their cause in person which speaks volumes about the organization and the kinds of members that participate. Pick up a flyer listen to their speeches and you may have just found yourself an “in” on campus.
Take the initiative. There is plenty of information available all over campus but it won’t do you any good if you don’t act on it. Simply tacking up a Jumpstart flyer on your bulletin board will not help you make connections with fellow students or the community around you. A positive RSVP on Facebook doesn’t make you an involved member of College Republicans. This may be the simplest most obvious piece of advice but that probably makes it the most important: Go to meetings. Anxiety over taking that first step hinders Waves from jumping in even if we don’t want to admit it. Grab a buddy to take with you if you must but when something sparks your attention just act on it. Don’t be afraid to try something new.
Try a one-stop shop. Some organizations cover a variety of other activities. International Justice Mission which meets at 9 p.m. upstairs in the HAWC is a cohesive crowd that breaks down into smaller groups to address several different causes. The Pepperdine Volunteer Center works the same way. Visit www.pepperdine.edu/volunteercenter/opportunities for a complete list of upcoming events and standing opportunities for involvement. Most volunteer groups are always on the lookout for fresh recruits so you know you’ll be highly desired. The upcoming Greek Recruitment process works in much the same way. One stop dozens of choices.
Don’t knock it ’til you try it. Not every activity is for every student but you’ll never know if the Mathematical Association of America is your niche until you go to a meeting and really throw yourself into the organization. Don’t be turned off by whatever preconceived notions you have of academic Greek or service organizations left over from high school or from what friends at other universities have reported. The best way to test out something new is to fully commit to it for one meeting or activity. Suspend your judgment of the leaders and students involved until you’re more familiar with them and the work they do. Be completely present and give yourself the benefit of a worthwhile experience with something new.
Follow through. Rumor has it that it takes 21 days of daily commitment to an activity for a habit to form; that correlates to about three weeks of commitment to an organization to really feel a part of it. Realize that asking to get involved means changing your current lifestyle on campus; be prepared to sacrifice television and Facebook time for connections with real live people. Thoroughly committing yourself once you’ve found something you’re truly interested in takes time and effort but it’s so worth it.