Things I’m Involved in and Why I Love Them

Everyone is different, but for me, being busy means feeling happy and like I’m making a difference.  I did not learn this until I got to college.  I don’t mean that being super stressed out all the time is what brings me joy, because it certainly doesn’t.  However, doing things — be it activities or work — that benefits others as well as myself gives me a feeling of satisfaction and purpose.

Getting involved in college can help you meet people — friends, mentors, etc.  Campus involvement can also build up your resume, earn your some extra cash, and also just be really fun!

Of course, the amount of involvement and how it correlates to one’s happiness varies from person to person.  Here’s just a list of what I’m involved in, why I do it, and how you can get involved if you’re interested.  

There is a lot more to Bethel than just the things I’m involved in though, so I’ve provided a link that can help you find out what all Bethel has to offer you.  Whether your interests are in theater, math, board games, or anything and everything in between, Bethel’s got something you’ll love.

Student Government Association.  

Once I got to college, I decided that I was going to get involved.  This was one of the best decisions of my life.  I had heard about this thing called Student Senate (now called SGA), and found out that elections were coming up, so I decided to run.  I got elected as a Freshman Senator and immediately loved the atmosphere of the meetings and loved the work that this group was doing that I got to be a part of.  I just got elected as the Vice-President of the Study Body, and I can’t wait to start on my work in my new role.  I, along with the other members of SGA, get to be a direct part of making changes that students want to see at Bethel College, and that to me, is so cool.  We get to meet with Administration and lots of other important and amazing people at the college, as well as work with our other SGA members and peers who we can learn so much from.

Plus, being on SGA is a great way to gain leadership experience.  It’s not only a resume booster, but it’s also an opportunity that you can gain experiences from that will last you a lifetime.  

If you’re interested in being a part of SGA, check out our website.  You can also chat with current SGA members to find out what SGA is like and what we do.

STEM

A.k.a. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.  This is a scholarship that people who are interested in STEM fields receive from Bethel.  However, it’s so much more than just a scholarship!  If you get the scholarship, you get to be involved in undergraduate research through the STEM Learning Community, which is something that not a lot of larger universities can offer to many students.  STEM Learning Community students get to work directly with seniors on their Senior Seminars, as well as create posters for the projects.  These experiences are crucial to learning research techniques as well as how to present scientific findings.  Being in this community also means having great opportunities to form close relationships with professors, which can turn into even more opportunities.

If you’re interested in learning more about STEM, talk to any of the professors in the science department.  

Even if you’re not interested in a STEM field, check out what other departments have to offer students as far as scholarships and extracurricular activities.  A lot of departments have opportunities for participation outside of the normal class schedule.

SAA

A.k.a Student Alumni Association.  SAA is a large organization on campus that is involved with all kinds of events ranging from Fall Fest to the Annual Alumni Phonathon to the Mudslam Volleyball Tournament in May.  Through SAA, there are tons of opportunities to give back to the Bethel community, meet and connect with alumni, serve in leadership positions, and even make some money calling alumni!

Professors and coaches nominate students for SAA.  There are lots of people involved in SAA, so if a professor or coach sees that you would be a good fit for the group, then you might just get nominated.

Collegiate Athletics

I’ve dedicated a whole post to this one before.  Being a college athlete, no matter the sport, can offer you a wealth of opportunities.  From learning time management, to helping you stay in shape, to allowing you to meet more people, athletics does it all and more.  I run cross country, and I owe it to the sport for helping me make friends and get involved at Bethel.  

If you’re interested in playing a sport, talk to the coach of that sport or people already on the team.

Shadowing

This is something that is so valuable that is usually done on your own time, outside of the classroom.  Shadowing has been so beneficial for me, because it helps me see what it’s really like to be a doctor and what the dynamic is like inside of a hospital.  No matter what field you’re interested in going into, following someone around who has the job you want can teach you a lot more than just doing a Google search of your future career.

Bethel also offers a grant to students who are willing to sacrifice the time that they could be working and making money to doing an unpaid internship/shadowing position.  

If you’re interested in learning more about the grant, talk to your advisor.  You can also ask them about connections that they might have with alumni or businesses that would love to have a Bethel student come shadow them.

Jobs

Finally, jobs are a great way to get more involved with campus, and make money!  My on-campus jobs include my job within SGA, working both the chemistry and the biology departments, working as a library assistant, and blogging for Bethel (what I’m doing now).  Through these jobs, I have met a lot of great people and formed connections that I’m very thankful for.  I’ve also gained a lot of really valuable skills (and made money!).  

If you’re interested in getting a campus job, check out the campus jobs database here.  Also keep an eye on the emails sent out by Career Services, as they often have on-campus jobs as well as off-campus opportunities for students.  You can also talk directly to professors and other employees at Bethel to see if they could offer you a job in their department.

These are just the things that I am involved in on campus, but there are so many more opportunities out there!  Check out this list of campus organizations to find out more ways to get involved and find what works for you.  Also, if you are wanting to start your own organization, check this out.

“Tell me and I forget.  Teach me and I remember.  Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin