Get Plugged In! Join a Student Group
By Morenike
So, you’ve successfully completed your first week of classes. WooHoo! Great job! But with the move to an online environment, you may still feel like you’re missing out on parts of the university experience, especially if this is your first year. Well, fear not: there are lots of different ways to plug into the U of A community. One of them involves joining a student group. Student groups are still very much active right now! There is a range of groups you may join to help facilitate your university experience and connect with people with similar interests and goals as you.
Editor’s Note: Make new connections online at the Friends Across Campus virtual Speed Friending and Game Night on September 30! Using the Zoom breakout room feature, participants will be split into groups and will get to know one another with some fun icebreaker questions. Next, the fun and socialization will continue over virtual games such as jackbox, kahoot, and pictionary.
Where do you find the necessary information?
First of all get started by visiting the Student Group services website. The virtual clubs fair happened at the beginning of September, but if you missed out or couldn’t decide which group you would like to join, you can always check on BearsDen for a list of student groups available through the U of A. There are student groups and events available to both graduate and undergraduate students, so please do not hesitate to browse the BearsDen and get involved!
Also, keep an eye out for the student digest emails that are sent out every Wednesday! I know sometimes they can be quite lengthy, but they contain a lot of gems such as clubs that are actively recruiting volunteers as well as activities happening across campus and beyond. You don’t want to miss out on this information especially if you don’t get to see the posters walking around campus, this is now your campus bulletin board so try and use it as such!
You may even wish to start by checking the student resources tab on your program’s website. They usually have the student group for your program linked there! That is a great place to start and connect with people in your program and most likely taking similar classes to you.
If you are someone that thrives doing physical activities the Campus & Community Recreation center at the university also has some club sports that you can be a part of this semester. There are also a number of in-person group fitness classes (with additional safety precautions, of course). If you prefer to get involved virtually, join a (free!) group fitness or dance class.
For new and returning students, there are a number of virtual orientations you can try out, and group workshops for your writing and research skills.
But, what about the time commitment?
If, like me, you find that due to other commitments you may not have the time to formally join student groups, I would recommend participating in the one-off activities that appeal to you and engaging with them on social media or by signing up for a newsletter. This makes it easier to be informed about upcoming events and opportunities. You can follow along with some great student work without a big commitment. Don’t feel pressured to commit a lot of time, but feel inspired to explore the options available to you.
For me personally, I am looking forward to following the work of groups such as the Black Students’ Association (@uabsa) to see all the amazing work they have planned for this term, especially in light of the Black Lives Matter protest that took place around the world, and specifically at the Alberta Legislature building in Edmonton this past summer.
I am also looking forward to checking out the amazing events organized by Rehab Medicine Students Association (@ualberta_rmsa), which is also my Faculty, in case you were wondering…
There are also some groups which could cater to your faith and sense of community. I personally will be looking forward to what the Redeemed Campus fellowship (@rcf_community) have got planned for this semester! You can send them an email or a DM on instagram for more information!
Whatever your workload may look like this semester, it is incredibly important to plug into some form of community either by volunteering with a student group, participating in virtual events, joining a sports club, or even performing an extra-curricular activity (which is what I’m doing with writing with a great team at YouAlberta!) We might need to practice physical distancing, but we don’t need to cut socialization from our lives!
Have a great semester ahead!
