Attending a General Interest Meeting for the first time can be daunting. Even if you were the most outgoing, involved kid in high school, college GIMs are uncharted territory. You may come away from a meeting feeling so awkward you never want to return, like you just exchanged 30 minutes of your life for free pizza, or like you’ve found your niche for the next four years. The worst approach is vegetating in your dorm room while everyone else is exploring. But make no mistakes, it’s possible to do GIM week wrong.
Don’t be afraid to go at it alone. Freshmen are pack animals, and many students are afraid to be seen eating alone in the dining halls, even during quiet breakfast hours. So, it’s natural that the prospect of meeting an entirely new group of people without a single wingman is unappealing. However, you can make a more clear judgement about a student group if you go without anyone to influence your opinion about the group. Going with someone else might push you toward a hivemind mentality and, besides, you should be looking to expand your social circle by joining groups. You may have more in common with the theater kids than your freshman roommate.
When scouting out potential GIMs to attend, do not let your past hold you back. Just because you wrote for the newspaper in high school, doesn’t mean you have to write for one now. Many of the clubs at Binghamton University do not have a high school equivalent or are unique to our campus. High school simply isn’t the proper environment for Greek life or a student-run ambulance like Harpur’s Ferry, but those could be the clubs most suited for you.
There are some groups on campus that may sound like a good idea, but when you get to the GIM, it’s smaller than you expected, and they may not have their stuff together. Don’t be discouraged. These groups are an opportunity – if you really care, you could have a good shot at a leadership position, allowing you to make the club a better organization. Remember, everything here is run by students just like you.
The most important factor in discerning the right club for you this GIM week is how well you connect with the people, not the mission of the club. Reading the description of a club on B-Line may lead you to conclude that it’s the right club for you because of a common interest. If you show up and the people in the club are unfriendly to you or not people you see yourself spending time with, do not go back. College is stressful enough; spending time with people you do not like, even if you all enjoy the same activities, is not worth it.
Depending on your personality type, it’s tempting to exclusively sign up for clubs in an effort pad your resume. Clubs offer so much more than opportunities for self-promotion. Participating in a cappella or origami club probably isn’t going to get you a job offer, but a fun escape from classwork is integral to a healthy college experience. Remember that student groups are generally rewarding in a way that’s proportionate to the amount of passion and effort you put in. If you’re in a group because you feel obligated to be in it, you’ll find yourself feeling like you’re wasting time. But if you’re in a group because you want to be in it, you’ll find it one of the most rewarding things you’ll do in college.