Let’s face it, college can be quite a lonely place. How can it not be? You will be going to a place that you haven’t been to before. You will be far away from your friends and family. You will be miles away from what is familiar and comfortable. You will come face to face with people who have different attitudes, mindsets, and backgrounds that are very different from yours. Also, your parents won’t be there to quickly swoop in and help you out. Of course, as frightening and potentially intimidating college can be, college life can also be wonderful. There are new places to discover. Wonderful and interesting new people to meet. New experiences to discover and enjoy. And many lifelong memories and experiences to make and enjoy. If you are looking to enjoy the good side of the college experience and avoid the intimidating, inconvenient, and uncomfortable parts, you need friends. You need people that can experience college life’s trials and tribulations together. But more than just friends, you should look for a wide collection of people that share the same values or mindsets to help you navigate school. In other words, look for a college community you can belong to.
Fraternities: A social Community
One of the most recognizable communities in most college campuses are fraternities and sororities. They are not very hard to miss. Greeks’ housing feature greek letters at the front and the Greek system often holds campus events that are widely publicized. Joining a fraternity or sorority helps you quickly bond with a group of people that have a shared history. By joining, you experience many things together and these form a shared bond that can last a lifetime. This bond can also help you navigate through the challenges and opportunities you face on campus. Finally, fraternity and sorority bonds can also translate to career advancement and opportunities.
Service Communities: A Shared Cause
Besides the Greek system, you can also check out service organizations on your campus. For many of these organizations, the bond is not so much shared experiences like in the Greek system but in a shared cause. The same dynamic applies to religious or spiritual-based communities on campus. The great thing about cause-based communities is that they force young people to look past people and egos and focus on the value of the cause. This is, indeed, a great experience since it helps people mature in their roles as individuals as well as parts of organization. This realization can help them once they start working and face the inevitable issue of organization members not living up to the professed creed or standards of the organization.
