It is a Wednesday night, your classes are done for the day, your homework is finished and you made a good head start on your future projects. Okay. Now what? Your roommate is gone for the night, or worse, is there and you both can’t stand each other. No worries, there is hope for what to do in this type of situation: get involved.

On any campus, there is a variety of ways to get involved and it is encouraged that you do some type of student activity before graduating. The best part is the range of activities, which is wide enough for everyone to find something they can enjoy. For example:

1. Join or create an organization. At Southeastern, there are over 100 student organizations and their focus covers a variety of interests including interest-based (ceramics, amateur radio), activity-based (ballroom dancing, cricket) and social and cultural-based (recycling or Japanese animation). If there’s an interest of yours that is not represented, why not go ahead and start your own group? To find out how you can get started, or learn more about existing groups, visit the Office of Student Organizations and Strategic Initiatives.

2. Tutor someone. Do you excel in math, English or another academic area? Then you should consider offering up your tutoring services. The Center for Student Excellence actually hires students to tutor. This can be a good way to meet people outside of your major while gaining the satisfaction of helping other students. And extra money is always good.

3. Attend events. True, you might not want to go to that all-freshman event, but if you have nothing else to do, then go anyway. You’ll probably meet new people and even have a good time while you’re there. Going to an event you may not normally be interested in can actually open the door to other opportunities if you keep your mind open. Best of all, a lot of these events are free.

4. Get involved with sports. It doesn’t matter if you’re a varsity-level athlete or not, there are different opportunities to get involved with sports. The first is obvious enough: try out for a sport you enjoy. Can’t make a full-time commitment to a team? Go to the Pennington Student Activity Center and play a game of basketball during your free time. If non-traditional sports are more your style, visit the Corner Pocket Game Room for a round of pool. If you don’t enjoy playing sports, then just cheer on the home team. The action in the stadium seats is just as fun as on the field.

5. Go Greek. There are several different Greek organizations to choose from. Getting into these organizations can be competitive, but you can gain a lifelong network of social support and professional connections. Many Greek organizations also encourage members to get involved in volunteering, such as raising funds for philanthropies or beautifying the campus.

6. Participate in SGA. This is a way to meet more people on campus, as well as important faculty and staff figures. You can gain leadership skills, and also get involved with important campus decisions. By joining SGA, you can further enhance your voice as a student by being part of a central decision-making activity.

7. Get a campus job. Students need money. That’s a given, but instead of finding an off-campus job, how about applying for one on campus? There are different opportunities to work in various departments and centers. You can work around your class schedule, meet University administrators and fellow students and learn more about Southeastern.

8. Audition. Got a love for the stage? Or is the thought of twirling a baton high in the air more your style? Then audition! Whether it is one of the theatrical plays, musicals or the dance team, there are a lot of opportunities to audition for something that interests you.

9. Join the campus paper. No, this is not a shameless plug for The Lion’s Roar. One of the most valuable skills in life you’ll learn in college is the ability to write. This is a skill which will put you ahead of the game. By joining the campus newspaper, you’ll keep your writing abilities sharp and also become more aware of the things happening on campus.

While I have supplied a list of how to get involved, I should also touch upon why people should be involved. I know for some of you, who are taking 15 credit hours along with working a part-time job, taking on more responsibilities seems a lot more work than benefits.

However, learning does not just happen inside a classroom. When a student is involved in campus activities, they gain experience in building teamwork, how to plan events and work with diverse personalities.

Do those reasons sound as if they could be qualifications put down on a resume?

Yes indeed, but you can gain other valuable experience as well. You can meet new people, create new memories and build character. And did I forget to mention, you get to have fun and have something to look forward to outside of class, work and homework.

So go ahead and get involved.