Coming into college can be quite a stressful experience – believe me, I lived it too when I was a freshman in the fall of 2018 (which seems like a decade ago). You’re away from home for perhaps the first time in your life, in a brand new town or even state, and your close friends from high school all went their separate ways.

“My biggest piece of advice is to get involved. There’s no better way to find a new social circle, career opportunities and resume builders than to get involved with a student organization at UNI.”

It can be daunting and even a bit scary, but there is a piece of advice that I have to new UNI students (I think I know a thing or two about it, since that was me not too long ago).

I can almost guarantee that this campus has something for you. Find something that peaks your interests or something that aligns with your major. this way, you’ll discover something you’re truly passionate about and will meet others around campus who share the same interests and ambitions as you.

Whether you’re into sports, arts & entertainment, video games, accounting, or anything else under the sun, UNI will have a student organization that is a good fit for you. Perhaps the worst thing to do – in my opinion – is to stay cooped up in your dorm all year long and expose yourself to the campus and community around you.

One of the things I challenge new and returning students to do is to make weekly goals. It can either be meeting new friends or attending events. Make weekly goals and find how you can use the resources at UNI into achieving their goals. UNI has helped me achieve my goals within my career and outside my career.

Also I learned how to network and got the chance to attend conferences. Networking is very important at UNI, whether connecting with a professor or students around campus. One day one of your classmates could be hiring you in a future job, and to have that connection early on may put your foot in the door.

I challenge everyone to make weekly goals. Finding a organization that sparks your interest and expressing your career goals to a friend, professor or even career services. The University of Northern Iowa is here to help you be successful in the long run and provide a valuable experience.