By Mia Ingui
Opinions Editor
At first glance, our campus does not seem like the most exciting place to live.
The campus is dead past 9 p.m., considering Eickhoff Hall closes for the day and most students retire to their room or go out off campus. It’s small, quaint and usually pretty quiet. And don’t get me started on the lack of food options, which I already ranted about in an opinion piece titled “Campus dining options need improvement.”
With all of this in mind, I believe that you get out of your campus what you put into it. The College has so many incredible opportunities for involvement if you keep your eyes and mind open to new possibilities.
As a freshman — crazily enough, I am almost finished being a freshman — I feel that the only way to become acclimated to campus and start feeling at home is to get involved. Even for the upperclassmen who are stuck in a rut and are looking for something new, it is never too late to get involved.
The beautiful thing about college is that there is a club or organization for just about any talent, sport or hobby. Getting involved is as easy as showing a little bit of interest and taking the time to attend a club meeting. This is such a great way to meet new people and take part in something you feel strongly about. No judgment from current club members and nothing lost if you wind up not liking the club.
Many freshmen make their first friends on their floor. I have to admit, becoming friends with the people on your freshman floor is pretty awesome. They’re your built-in friends. You all land at the College on your first day in the same situation, looking to just make one friend you can stick with to feel less alone.
From there, great friendships blossom. I met incredible people on my floor and I hope we remain friends. I can honestly say that some of the best people I have met on campus are also a part of the various organizations I am in, and I’m thankful for putting myself out there and allowing myself the opportunity to meet them.
I was a theater nerd in high school, auditioning for shows as a bitty freshman and sticking to it ever since. I found my home, my people, my best friends in my high school drama club. Parting with theater was something I never wanted to do. So, as soon as I moved into the College, I attended my first TCNJ Musical Theatre meeting and have been having a blast ever since.
Also a member of The Signal staff, I am exposed to the many wonders of this campus. I shyly entered The Signal office three days after moving in, and the rest is history. I am now a section editor writing an editorial and couldn’t be more grateful.
Though the campus is your oyster, sometimes it gets pretty monotonous living in it. Since they cannot have cars on campus, freshmen can consider themselves stranded, and doing homework all day is not the ideal way to enjoy yourself. Having various clubs that you are a part of is a great way to look forward to something else besides going to class, and who knows, maybe try something new. Having a little courage could turn out to be one of the best decisions you ever make.
