Getting involved on campus can be hard enough, but there are additional considerations for non-traditional students and upperclassmen. Part of being a freshman is getting out of your comfort zone and trying new things. But as students get older and spend more time on campus, it can be challenging to continually try and find a bunch of new friends and clubs. So don’t.

Find one club that suits your interest and make the most of it. There is only so much time in the day and 75 percent of that is dedicated to class and homework. On Quad Day or in the weeks after, search for a club that seems exciting and makes you happy. School will be stressful enough so it’s good to have an outlet.

But remember that just because you don’t sign-up for a club in the first few weeks of school, that doesn’t mean you can’t join one later. There are always opportunities to join a club.

October Lover’s Club

This club is for people who love October but also just the fall in general. This club takes trips to a pumpkin patch, an apple orchard and has a few bonfires and wiener roasts. They also have a barn dance in October. This is a good and easy club to join if you want to attend a barn dance. When the time comes around, you can just buy tickets and not worry about doing anything else with the club all year.

Outdoor Adventure Club

The club is made up of people who want to be outside and feel trapped on campus. The club goes on day trips to surrounding nature areas, but it also goes on weekend camping trips and even a week-long trip on Spring Break. They also host social events on campus.

International clubs

There are many clubs for international students or those who want to celebrate international culture. The Japanese Conversation Table is just one cool example that provides a place for people to practice speaking Japanese and to meet people in a casual setting. Another interesting one, the Chinese Independent Film Society, is a group that meets weekly to discuss films involving East Asian countries and culture.

Illini Voter Coalition

The coalition helps students register to vote and get involved in the process. Along with this, there are also many political organizations to join. Any political party you can think of or belong to will have a group of like-minded people. These clubs can be beneficial to anyone no matter what stage of life they are in.

Join a book club
There are a bunch of book clubs on campus. The Asian American Cultural Center has one, the Illini Union has one, not to mention the numerous ones that pop up throughout the year in the English Department. So look around for flyers and see what books interest you. This way you can find people with similar interests and read a good book or two.

Married students  

There is married student housing on campus which offers many opportunities for married students to live together and get to know one another. There are also child care services for students with children, so their children can be in childcare while the parents go to class. For finding clubs, many churches or other similar organizations offer groups for married students to meet people.

Veterans Student Support Services

This service strives to support veterans and allow them to succeed on campus. They have resources for classes, getting readjusted to civilian life and it provides a support system for veterans looking for one. The services are in place for student Veterans, active duty personnel, National Guard and Reserve members and their qualifying dependents.’

Claire is a senior in Media. 

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