My Experience in Joining Purdue Crew: Being a Part of Non-Engineering Clubs

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        Before coming to Purdue, I had no idea what “Crew” was. When you live in a relatively dry and land-locked state, such as Colorado, the closest large body of water is over an hour away, and you never hear about such a sport. Now, not even a full semester into my first year at Purdue, I could tell you that Crew is a rowing sport, list all of the parts to a boat, row a whole race at a regatta, and explain to a person what a coxswain is, what they do, and how to even pronounce that word.


How to Find Clubs

The first opportunity for freshmen to find clubs while on campus (and how I found out about Crew) is the B-Involved Fair, which is hosted every year before classes start. Hundreds of clubs set up stands on the IM fields for anyone to learn more about and join these student organizations. It’s a great opportunity for clubs to reach out to new people and spark new interests. That’s what Crew was for me: a way to meet new people and find a new way to keep active. I walked up to their set-up during the fair, asked some questions, went to their call-out, and was on the team a few days later. Where most club sports host tryouts or require prior knowledge of how to play, you just have to be willing and able if you want to join the Crew team. So, a week after I arrived on campus, I had joined a sports team and was already learning and working out with a group of great people who would become close friends.
Courtesy of the Purdue Exponent

Balancing Clubs and Course Work

    There are only so many hours in a day, so it is important to make the most of them when you have many things going on at once. It is not always easy staying on top of FYE coursework, being part of Crew and other clubs, and making time for friends and myself so here are a few tips that help:

Prioritize sleep

    No matter what is going on or how much homework you have, have a set time you plan on going to bed everyday so you can get an optimal amount of sleep every night. The whole point of participating in so many things on campus is to have fun and enjoy your time at Purdue, so make sure you are well rested to fully enjoy activities every day.

Use Calendars 

    Any type of calendar works: digital, paper, poster, as long as it has important and updated events written on it. With so much going on, it is easy to forget certain dates, so accurate calendars can be a lifesaver.

Work Between Classes

    This semester I have many hour-long periods between classes and whenever I use these times to do homework, it significantly reduces the work I have to do after practice that night, making it easier to enjoy the evening and prepare for the next day.

Live in the Moment 

    I think this is one of the most important things to remember during your time as an engineer at Purdue. There is always an assignment that you could be working on perfecting or work that is due in the future, but it's important to focus on other things that are important, like spending time with friends and making the most out of your time at Purdue.


Why Join?

    With so many clubs on campus, there is bound to be a club for everyone. Getting involved on campus is very important, especially clubs that branch out from engineering-focused activities because it provides a mental break and improves mental health. I have found that having something in my schedule helps me get my homework done faster, gives me something to look forward to, and provides built-in socialization into my day. Clubs like Crew are like on-campus families because you spend so much time around the members of the club and build great connections and friendships with them.

    This has been my experience being a part of a student organization that is not engineering-related. I have really loved being a part of something new and outside of my degree, and it has helped me fully take part in the Purdue experience!

Madison Meunier, ChE '27

Recruitment Project Committee


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