Uncertain about all of the different student organizations on campus? A list of them can be found here: https://www.hamline.edu/organizations.aspx. On this site you can easily filter the groups based on categories of general interest. You will find brief descriptions of organizations and the contact information of leaders if they peak your interest. Any listed board members can be contacted through their Hamline email addresses. Many of the student organizations are still recruiting and welcoming new members. Find one that seems interesting and go to their online meetings. There will be others there interested in the same topics and it can be a great way to meet new people.

If you want a human resource, for first-year students and those who live on campus, New Student Mentors are Resident Assistants are great people to refer to. They are here to support students in any way that they can. If they are unable to provide help, they have the resources to find someone to address specific needs. Older campus colleagues can also be a great resource for first-year students, as they will already have connections established across campus.

If you are living on campus, take advantage of the fact that you have other students next door. There are lounges and other safe spaces on campus where you can spend time with others while socially distant. The people you meet this first semester can end up being the people you are closest to throughout your college years. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to people. If you live near many of your fellow first-year students, they are probably looking to get to know someone too. First-year Cathryn Salis described her first few weeks on campus.

“I have been meeting people on my floor,” Salis said. “[I] have done a few virtual floor activities to stay safe, but also get to know the people we are living around.” 

Salis also described how she found the organizations that she wants to get involved with on campus. She found The Oracle through her roommate and social media. Be sure to check social media sites for the pages of various student organizations. She also found the outdoor recreation club at the student org fair that was earlier this month. Although the student org fair already happened, organizations are always open to new members. 

Whether you have in-person or virtual classes, say hi to those around you. You will probably be seeing them all semester, and if the class is related to your major you may see even more of them in the future. Sophomore Clare Foy has been inviting people to eat dinner with her that she had spoken to in class or in passing.

“If you meet someone and you seem to have common interests, ask them to get coffee with you and they will probably say yes,” Foy said. “There is no harm in asking people to eat with you.”

This may not be the ideal college experience for your first year, but remember that you don’t have to be isolated. We are all navigating these difficult circumstances together and we all need to stay connected with one another.