• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

College Magazine

College Life, Dating, Career & Campus Advice

  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • Writer Course
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
  • Find your college or university
  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • Writer Course
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
  • Find your college or university
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

You are here: Home / Campus life / You’ll Get Sick of Hearing “Get Involved” Before College—Do It Anyway

You’ll Get Sick of Hearing “Get Involved” Before College—Do It Anyway

September 10, 2018 //  by Anastasia Brown

Shares131FacebookTweet

I wanted to create a successful college experience for myself. I just didn’t know how.

When I asked my older friends for college advice, many people gave me the same words of guidance: Get involved in college. Join clubs that interest you because you’ll meet people with similar interests, and you’ll be a part of an organization that you enjoy.

I grew a little sick of hearing “get involved” after hearing that advice over and over.

As my freshman move-in date came closer, I felt less motivated to get involved. I didn’t know what I wanted to do at college, but I didn’t want to join a bunch of clubs like everyone told me to do.

Temple University hosted “Temple Fest” a couple days after I moved into my dorm. This event brought together all the student organizations lined up at tables in the middle of campus with email sign-up sheets for new students. I decided to go for fun.

I gave my email to probably over 20 different student organizations while at Temple Fest. Between dance, theater and communication clubs, I signed up for anything and everything that sounded interesting. Something changed my attitude as I walked around those tables and talked with students in the organizations. They made me feel excited to get involved in the Temple community.

In the first couple weeks of my freshman year, I went to a bunch of general body meetings for the organizations that interested me. I knocked some out right after the first meeting, but I stuck with others.

Insomnia Theater really sparked my interest. This theater organization puts together a series of short plays in 24 hours twice a semester. Auditions happen on a Friday night at 7 p.m. Once the actors leave, the directors and writers cast their shows. After the shows get casted, the writers stay up all night to write their shows. An overarching theme carries each show and typically features six or seven short plays. Some examples of past themes include conspiracy theories, seven deadly sins, video games and Cards Against Humanity. At 8 a.m. on Saturday morning, the directors and actors meet to rehearse their shows. The rehearsal process happens for the entire day on Saturday, and then the show goes up at 7 p.m. on Saturday night. It’s a whirlwind experience.

success in college
instagram.com

I was involved with theater all throughout my time in high school, but Insomnia Theater gives me an extremely unique theater experience. They create a fun, supportive theater community that requires very little time commitment. I got the opportunity to act, write and direct for them during my freshman year, and I continue to stay involved. The group consists mainly of people like myself who love theater but chose to pursue a different major.

Last year, I wrote a short play for Insomnia Theater for the young adult novels show called “The Perks of Being Drake Bell’s Lover.” In the play, the Perks of Being a Wallflower characters fell in love with Drake Bell. Insomnia Theater helps me to stretch my creativity and write entire short plays in less than eight hours. I’m looking forward to staying involved with such a fun organization during my last year of college.

success in college
Anastasia Brown

The other organization that stuck with me is the Temple Tappers. I’ve been a dancer my whole life. Tap dance has always been my favorite style. It made me super happy that Temple offered a club specifically for people who love to tap dance. I auditioned for the group my first semester of freshman year and I made the team.

Dance was always a competitive experience for me, so joining the Temple Tappers was a refreshing change of pace. While I sometimes miss dancing over eight hours a week, I’m happy to now only focus on tap. The Temple Tappers do a lot of performances around Temple’s campus. Besides our annual recital in the spring, we’ve also danced at Temple’s weekly Night Owl Events on Friday nights, Relay for Life, Hootathon and accepted students’ day for prospective students.

success in college
facebook.com

Besides continuing my love for tap dancing, being a part of the Temple Tappers also showed me how much Temple has to offer. I love dancing at events around campus because I feel like it makes me feel closer to the Temple community as a whole.

I’m really passionate about the Temple Tappers and helping the group to succeed and be the best it can be. Starting my sophomore year, I held a spot on the executive board as one of the two dance captains. I held this same position in my junior year. This upcoming year, I’ll serve as the team’s president. Continuing my passion for tap dancing has definitely been one of the highlights of my college experience.

View this post on Instagram

Check out our last performance of the semester at the Broadway Favorites Cabaret presented by @broadwayonbroad ! #42ndstreet #audition #openingnumber #tapdance #templetappers

A post shared by Temple Tappers (@temple_tappers) on Apr 25, 2018 at 7:28am PDT

Every college student defines success differently. I define it as creating a well-rounded experience for myself by putting myself out there, making friends and learning new things. I feel like I’ve achieved a well-rounded college experience for myself.

I work hard in my classes, which is obviously important, but I also take part in student organizations that I love. I’ve met a lot of really awesome people because of that. Although I quickly got sick of everyone telling me to get involved in college, I’m glad I eventually followed their advice. I feel like I’ve created a great college experience that I will look back on in the future with a smile on my face.

Shares131FacebookTweet

Filed Under: Campus life

About Anastasia Brown

Anastasia is a senior at Temple University with a major in English and minors in theater and communication studies. She loves writing, theater, dancing, laughing, traveling, and eating mac and cheese.

You May Also Like

CampusLife_sm

CM’s Top 10 Schools Doing Residential Life Right

colleges for future philanthropists

Live to Give: Top 10 Colleges for Future Philanthropists

Top 10 COVID-19 Safe Activities to Do Near Fresno, California

One Girl and a Whole World: What I Learned from My International Friends

fog

10 Reasons Why Bennington College Is the Quirkiest College

crim dell bridge

10 Signs That You’re a True TWAMP: Typical William & Mary Person

10 Tech Gifts to Make Zoom University That Much Easier

10 Essential Steps Before Graduating at Penn State

Longsword and Fencing Mask Pictured in Front of Window

Swords, Bruises, and How to Find Joy in College

Fight On: 8 Reasons Why USC is Better Than UCLA

College Magazine’s 10 Best Colleges for Studying a Foreign Language

bruin belles two girls laughing

How You Can Get Involved with the Bruin Belles

10 COVID-19 Safe Activities Near Orlando, Florida

friend group

Top 10 FOMO-Worthy Events at St. John’s University

Life in a Global Pandemic: A Love Letter to My FOMO

10 Most-Loved Professors at the University of Florida

How Dating a POC Helped Me Accept Myself as an Asian-American

The Worst Dorm Room Gave Me My Best Memories

SUNY New Paltz

10 COVID-Friendly Things to Do This Fall at New Paltz

Top 10 Can’t Miss Experiences at UMass Amherst

Best Places to Live at University of Florida

10 Ways UCLA Is Killing the College Experience Game

events at FAMU

10 Top Tier FAMU Events That Will Give You FOMO

The Devil is in the Stairwells

Previous Post: « A Harsh Beauty of My College Experience (So Far)
Next Post: My Garbage Radio Show Is the Best Part of My Week »

Primary Sidebar



Trending Posts

CampusLife_sm
53

CM’s Top 10 Schools Doing Residential Life Right

coffee w heart
14

A Barista’s Guide to Making Delicious Coffee Drinks at Home

6

5 Tips for Getting Your Social Media Ready for the Professional World

Featured Chapter: UCLA

Footer

logo

College Magazine is the national daily guide to campus life. Our articles for college students feature university rankings of U.S. colleges, college guides, academic advice, college prep, career advice, student health and collegiate dating tips.

Written by students for students, by a team of journalists from universities nationwide, we’re on the pulse of the college experience.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Colleges

  • College Guides
  • College Rankings
  • Campus life
  • Academics
  • Dating
  • Freshmen Year
  • Health
  • Party

Majors

  • All College Majors
  • Most Popular Majors
  • Choosing a Major

Intern

  • Internships Directory
  • How to Write a Resume
  • How to Write a Cover Letter
  • How to Interview
  • How to Get an Internship
  • How to Network

Money

  • How to Make Money
  • How to Save Money
  • How to Get a Job
  • Credit Cards 101
  • College Loans

Travel

  • Study Abroad
  • College Spring Break
  • How to Travel Cheap
  • Things to Do

Shop

  • College Packing List
  • Gift Guides
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

Copyright © 2021 College Magazine · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc.