A college or university can seem to be a huge and unfriendly place, especially if you went to a small high school or grew up in a small town. To feel comfortable in this new environment, it is important for you to get involved in campus life.

Getting involved is not difficult, but it will take some initiative on your part. Consider your interests and the high school activities you enjoyed most, and choose some related activities to explore. You might be interested in joining an intramural team, performing community service, running for a student government office, or getting involved in your residence hall, or you might prefer to join a more structured campuswide club or organization.

While involvement is the key, it’s important to strike a balance between finding a niche where you are immediately comfortable and challenging yourself to have new and different interactions with others. Having an open mind and experiencing diversity will prepare you for the workforce you will enter after you graduate. Also, challenge yourself to learn about various cultural groups in and around your college and home community, and participate in campus ethnic and cultural celebrations to learn about unique traditions, ideas, and viewpoints.

Almost every college has numerous organizations you can join; usually, you can check them out through activity fairs, printed guides, open houses, Web pages, and so on. If a particular organization interests you, consider attending one of the organization’s meetings before you decide to join. Find out what the organization is like, what the expected commitment is in terms of time and money, and whether you feel comfortable with its members. Students who become involved with at least one organization are more likely to complete their first year and remain in college.

Be careful not to overextend yourself when it comes to campus activities. Although it is important to get involved, joining too many clubs or organizations will make it difficult to focus on any one activity and will interfere with your studies. Future employers will see a balance in academics and campus involvement as a desirable quality in prospective employees. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that more is better. In campus involvement as in many things, quality is much more important than quantity.