Making the Most of Your Campus Involvements

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After being a student here for over a year, one of my favorite things about Purdue is the number of organizations, clubs, and programs that one can become involved in on campus. Getting involved can be intimidating, as it is hard to go from being an established member of the high school version of these communities to the college version of them, or even joining a completely different community. Here are some ways I’ve made the most out of my campus involvements.



Put Yourself Out There

Although I am a natural extrovert, I still get extremely nervous when it comes to meeting new people or being in unfamiliar environments. The best advice I have for this is put yourself out there. Small talk is a great way to get the ball rolling, as you must remind yourself that everyone is just as nervous as you are. Icebreaker activities, as awkward as they are, may be another good way to get conversations flowing. For all you could know, one of your future best friends could be sitting right next to you, but you’ll never know unless you talk to them. For myself personally, I am a member of the gymnastics club and was extremely shy at first. Once I let my guard down and began to talk to the other members more, I realized how much I had in common with them (outside of our love for gymnastics).


Go to Optional Events

In a lot of the organizations/programs/clubs I have been involved in, there has oftentimes been optional events that we could attend. My advice is to go to these events, as they give you another opportunity to connect with other members. For example, in my time as Boiler Gold Rush team leader, I went into the program not knowing a single person in my TL group. The first or second day of training, another TL in our group invited everyone to play volleyball and spike ball after training. I was extremely nervous to go at first, as I barely knew these people and was worried it would be awkward. I decided to push past my fears and went to play volleyball with my TL group and had the best time. We continued to hang out with each other every day after BGR, and thanks to the friendships I had formed, I had one of the best weeks yet of my college experience. Even after BGR, my fellow TLs have become some of my closest friends. Thus, going to these optional events is a great way to make the most of your experience.


Find a Mentor

One thing that was important to me personally when I got to Purdue as a freshman was finding someone who was where I wanted to be at in the next few years, particularly someone who was once in my shoes and could relate their experiences to mine. Through programs I have been involved in, such as the Women in Engineering Mentors & Mentees program, the Civil Engineering Ambassadors program, and the Kiewit Scholars program, I have gotten to connect and network with other students in my major and professionals in the industry as well as receive mentorship from them. These relationships have been vital to my college experience, as I have gained valuable advice and have found impactful mentors I would not have without these programs.


Pursue Your Passions

Join programs/clubs/organizations that pertain to you and your interests. Although I am an engineering student, I was extremely involved in my high school’s journalism program. I wanted to find a way to combine my passion for journalism with my passion for engineering, as well as my passion for encouraging women to pursue engineering as a major/career. The WE Link program has given me the perfect opportunity to combine all these passions, as I can write about my time as an engineering student for prospective students as well as talk to them and show them how great Purdue is. Another organization I was involved with in high school that I wanted to stay involved with in college was dance marathon, as dance marathon raises money for Riley Hospital for Children. This is a cause I am especially passionate about, which made PUDM an easy organization for me to join. I think everyone should find a program like WE Link or organization like PUDM to join, as they give me a route to share my passions with others on campus. By having involvements on campus that you genuinely have a passion for, it is easier to commit time to them and makes them more enjoyable.



Whether you have one involvement or several, I believe that everyone should have something on campus outside of classes to look forward to going to. Overall, the college experience is about YOU. It is important to remember that you only get out of it what you put into it. Join and spend time with programs/clubs/organizations that make you happy and that you feel can help you grow.  If you have any questions, comments or want to know more about making the most of campus involvements, tag us, leave a comment, or follow us.

Emily Helmuth, Civil Engineering

WE Link Leadership Team


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Purdue Women in Engineering

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