Whether you tend to lean more introverted or extraverted, meeting people and finding friends you jive with is a daunting ambition, especially when you’re entering college for the first time. The good news is, the University of Illinois is so big there’s a place for everyone to feel like they belong.

Finding friends to go to football games with and study alongside at a coffee shop is an important part of the college experience. Most people I’ve talked to in my two years at the University said they made these friends through RSOs — especially if they didn’t have a thriving dorm experience. All the friends I’ve made have been through joining RSOs and attending events.

While joining a club tends to be a more extroverted activity by nature, there are many factors that will satisfy an introverted personality. Finding the right fit takes a lot of trial and error, but here are some insights I’ve collected to help speed up the process.

Extroverted RSOs

Lots of high energy social gatherings and large commitments tend to make an RSO more extroverted. 

On Quad Day, these are the RSOs that have lots of handouts, blare loud music, wear matching merch and approach you on the sidewalk. They fit the college movie stereotypes and have big alumni networks.

Most people I knew that joined these RSOs knew going into freshman year they were going to sign up. A lot of the time, these organizations have applications to join because of how large their membership trends are. Whether you’ve been preparing since you committed to the University or just saw their booth on Quad Day, it’s worth a shot to try.

Here’s a list of some of the more extroverted RSOs on campus where meeting a lot of people is guaranteed and the time commitment will certainly keep you busy.

• A Cappella
• Business RSOs
• Cultural Associations
• Dance Groups
• Panhellenic Organizations
• Traveling Illini

Introverted RSOs

Intimate crowds and casual activity tends to satisfy the more introverted side of my personality. 

These are the RSOs that you can go to a couple times without making a financial commitment. You can sit in the back without feeling pressure to converse with others if you don’t want to. They meet a couple times a semester and host gatherings that are optional and not too loud. Leadership offers a welcoming environment and will facilitate connections if you desire. 

Oftentimes these RSOs relate to a specific area of study or common goal. This is nice because you can walk into your first meeting knowing the people there are at least a little like minded. Gatherings are focused on a specific goal — maybe to raise money for a cause or share in research. This way there’s always an obvious conversation starter and a way to connect with people without having to fill a void of silence with forced and potentially awkward conversation.

Here’s a list of RSOs that tend to get a lot of attention on Quad Day and collect like minded people, facilitate welcoming environments and low-key activity.

• Community Service Organizations
• Content Creation Clubs
• 4 Paws for Ability
• Illini CHAARG
• Political Clubs
• STEM RSOs

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