The first week of school is officially over. You've started your newest year of college, you're well on your way to being successful! But you've got a lot more free time on your hands than you did in high school. This is my way of encouraging you to get involved on campus with that extra free time.

Worried that you don't have enough time to devote to a student group? Guess again! UNCG estimates you have about 21 hours a week to give to student groups. And that's presuming you follow their exact model. I can vouch for it too - I spent my freshman year studying, hanging out with my friends, going to class, and I still had free time. Sometimes it was a little less than other times - particularly when there was a project due the next day - but I always had some down time. And I promise you, you're not going to want to spend all of your extra time studying.

This isn't just a suggestion for freshmen, though! Upperclassmen also need to get involved. Look into joining a club within your major. You'll get to know more people within your field of study, network before even leaving school, and it will look great on your resume as you're applying to grad school or your first job. The major-specific clubs also are focused on one field of study - yours! They'll be able to answer questions you've had in class and talk about current events happening in your career. It's a great resume builder and another way to dig into your major.

There are some massive perks that come with joining a student organization you like too. For one, you suddenly have a bunch of new friends to hang out with. I'm super close to my a cappella group now and we hang out sometimes outside of rehearsal. If we have a class together, we sit together. I'm even rooming with one of my friends from the group! Take it from me, if you're trying to make friends - this is a great way to go about doing so. Not only that, but you get more practice with time management. You have time to join a student organization, for sure, but you have to make sure you're setting yourself up to succeed too! If you know you have practice from 7-9, don't wait to do your homework after practice unless you know you can do it then. Be aware of your timing and also know your limits. Thirdly, it gets you out of your dorm room and into a different environment. You may be rehearsing, practicing, or just listening, but you're no longer in your dorm room watching Netflix. Being involved has forced you to be in a new space and paying attention to something else. It doesn't matter if it's a worship group, a choir, an art club, or a sports team.

Find a student organization that you are passionate about! Do you like singing? Find a performance group! At UNCG there are 4 a cappella groups and several different choirs that you can join (outside of the official school choirs). Don't like singing but like playing sports? There are a bunch of club sports from traditional sports, like football and soccer, to non-traditional, like Quidditch! They will also offer intramurals through the year, so keep an eye out for that. If you want to join a fraternity or sorority, look into it! Recruitment is just around the corner. Still not interested? They have improv clubs, service organizations, cultural groups, student ministries, and so much more. Look online, see what UNCG has to offer you.