No. 4: Getting involved with student organizations

Life's not all about classes. Yeah, they're important, but focus all of your attention on them and you might be without a voice and more than a few strands of hair before the semester closes.

One great way to fill those blank spots in your schedule is getting involved in a student organization. This isn't your high school's student council, folks. There are over 200 recognized student organizations on campus, with more than a few that will probably tickle your fancy.

It's easy to get overwhelmed and retreat back to your books in your free time, but resist the temptation with these three important pieces of advice that are sure to get you out and about and meeting new people.

Surf the Internet

You already log in to update your place on Facebook, why not use the same tool to find your niche in Durham?

The Student Organization Services website is a great resource that is relatively unknown to many students.

On the homepage, there are two tabs on the left side of the screen that will be of great significance to you in starting your student organization journey.

The first reads "Getting Involved". If you click this tab, it will bring you to a screen that has announcements about upcoming organization fairs, the Student Activities fair on September 14 for example, as well as a form that allows you to enter your name, GSS box, e-mail and phone number, and select which organizations from a drop down menu you would like more information on.

This option is great if you have 40 interests and are looking to narrow down your search.

The second tab that may be of interest to you in your search reads "Org. Listing."

Once opened, you will have the opportunity to enter the name of the organization or organizations that you want more information about and do a query search for that name in the Student Organization Services database.

The next page that will appear on your screen will list the name of each organization you entered, the name of the most recent contact person, a short description of each organization, as well as when each organization holds their weekly or monthly meetings.

Now don't go overboard; you can't attend a Slow Food, SEAC, and Student Senate meeting in one night without feeling burnt out after.

Pick one to three organizations that you're really interested in getting involved with, make sure their weekly meetings are spaced out throughout the week and attend away!

Walk Around the MUB

If you're more of a hands-on type of person, just take a walk around the MUB, especially the bottom floor. If you walk through the sliding doors facing Mills and go straight past the soda machines, you will enter student org heaven. See all those rooms? Those are student org offices, lots of them, and they're filled with people who love their org and want others to love it too. This hallway is where the magic happens, literally. Excited about an upcoming SCOPE show? Walk by the office where it was planned. Saw some guy with long hair skateboarding on channel 24 in your dorm?

Check out the studio and office where SCAN TV 24 filmed, edited, and broadcast that show and hundreds like it. It sounds overwhelming, but it's actually an amazing opportunity. Not only are you in the middle of the student life mecca, but you have the undeniable opportunity to throw in your two, three or five cent piece into the mix. So, take a chance and walk into an office of an organization that interests you. Remember, the people that are in those offices love their org, love talking about their org and want to find others who will take care of their child once they graduate, and you dear reader, may be their future caregiver.

Bob Pettigrew

Bob Pettigrew is the most under-utilized student organizational resource on this campus, which is funny because he's the man behind every event, speaker, publication, and action of the 200 plus recognized student organizations.

Of course, he performs his magic with the help of students in the form of the Student Activity Fee Committee, but really, Bob knows all and has his hands in all. Don't know where Main Street Magazine's office is? (Don't worry, not many do unless they've visited it).

Well, Bob knows, and he will gladly direct you. Want to know when the next Student Senate meeting is? Bob knows! Need an envelope? Bob has a box, probably more than one, and he'll give you two with a smile. Just walk in and ask and Bob will grant. He sits in the corner of the office labeled Student Activity Fee on the right side wall once you enter from the doors at the top of the ramp by the Lower Quad. Plus, he has candy.