Now that you are settling into your schedule and adjusting to campus life, you might be taking a hard look at your free time. Whether you are a first-year or quickly approaching graduation, it is never too late to join an organization on campus. Life at college should be a balance of hard work and leisure. If you find yourself with more free time, wanting to meet new people or itching to be a part of a group, joining a club could be a great place to start. 

Finding a club that best suits your interests and pastimes can be difficult to navigate on a large campus. MU Engage is a way to find all your options in one place. Just sign in with your student information and start scrolling. On the website, you can read through a list of almost 700 groups active in the MU community.The fall Get Involved Fair  and smaller spring Involvement Fair are also great options for finding out about clubs. 

Something to note about most organizations at MU is most do not require you to be in a certain major to join. All you need is a general curiosity and enthusiasm for the club’s interest. With so many organizations, it is more than likely one will pique your curiosity. While glancing at the list, you may notice there are several unusual options. 

One of such groups is the Dairy Club. This organization is for anyone interested in dairy cattle. If you are interested in making your own cheese and ice cream, this is the club for you. In addition to getting the chance to interact with cattle, club members can engage in activities like dissections, field trips like the World Dairy Expo and guest speaker lectures.

“Some students may want to join because cows are their favorite animal and this is their first ever opportunity to get close to them, touch them, or work with them. Others may want to join to get more familiar with the dairy industry and get more of an insider’s perspective than is offered in their classes.”

Dairy Club president Catriona Chew

Another relatively unique group on campus is the Quidditch Team. If you are looking to join a sport through MizzouRec and are a fan of Harry Potter, this club offers the opportunity to be active while engaging with a community with similar interest in the series. This magical club includes an element of rivalry as the team takes part in regional and national Quidditch competitions.

Along with those two unusual clubs, a few from the long list that cater to very specific audiences include: 

• The Fungi Club,
• Doctor Who at Mizzou
• Ballroom Dance Club
• League of Legends Club

There are numerous clubs to touch on, but all play important roles in the campus community. Some focus on volunteering and advocacy, like Leading Through Literacy and Fighting Pretty Mizzou. Others are geared toward entertainment and creativity, such as Comedy Wars and the Creative Writing Club. 

No matter what you are interested in, if you search around, eventually you will find a group you fit in with. You might end up making strong connections with your fellow peers. Take advantage of being on a college campus while you’re here and push yourself to get involved, even if it is just with one organization. Most importantly, have fun finding your place.

So long and take it easy,

Abigail Henshaw

Edited by Ever Cole | Ecole@themaneater.com 

Copy editing by Gillian Fast