Finding Your Place on Campus

By David Schwartz
Washington University

So, the summer is almost over, and your mind is beginning to drift toward the upcoming school year. Perhaps this will be your first year in college, perhaps this will be your second, third or fourth year. No matter what, you probably want to make (more) friends and find a way to connect into a community on campus. Therefore, much, if not all, of the following will be of interest to you.

When you walk onto campus to begin the school year, you are walking into a very fluid social scene (more solid if you are returning, but still not "set in stone"). You may have to force yourself to not be shy, but the reward is worth it. Since nobody really knows each other, by being outgoing and meeting people, you will have the chance to connect with other people who want to make friends just as much as you do.

However, since this connecting will mostly occur in your dorm and classes, you will probably meet mostly people of the same year as you. While these people are the ones with the most similar situation to you, there is benefit to having a group of friends that cuts across the class spectrum. Therefore, you need an avenue to meet people who have something in common with you, yet you might not meet otherwise.

Enter the Jewish community on campus to save the day! The first week of school, there will probably be a dinner on Friday night, if not also services. Make sure to go to this. Most people will be chatting with friends, but with a little work on your part you need not feel shut out and lonely. Perhaps the best thing you can do in a situation like this is look around for somebody else who looks as confused as you and go and introduce yourself. The next best thing is to find the youngest looking clump if you are a freshman and join them. After that, find any clump of people to join. If you introduce yourself as a freshman and ask a question, people will usually take a liking to you and be happy to answer any question you have; after all, you are making them feel smart and experienced. If something happens after dinner (singing, talking, etc.) by all means join it. This is another way to meet people in a smaller, more intimate setting.

Somewhere in the first week of classes, there will probably be an activities fair, and it is highly probable that something Jewish will be represented. This is the ideal time to go and schmooze with whomever is there at the "Jewish" table(s) (it need not be about Jewish things – getting to know other people in the Jewish community can be valuable in its own right). While you are there, you should also sign up for whatever e-mail list they have and find out when the next activity is. Remember, signing up does not obligate you to go to everything; it simply means you get more information about opportunities.

At some point in your first month at school this year, you should probably talk to somebody who seems involved in the Jewish community about what options there are. There are so many ways to connect to Judaism within the world of student groups and extra-curriculars (Kosher cooking, social action, Israeli dance, Israel, holiday programs, Jewish a cappella, etc). If a group for your interest does not exist already on your campus, create one. If you have some sort of skill, it can probably be put to use by some component of the Jewish community – for instance, artistic people can do public relations.

The transition from high school to college is sometimes easy, sometimes not. But, by tapping into a ready-made community of people who have also made this transition, it is easier to not feel lost in a sea of 1,000-40,000 students. Have a great year!

[Posted 08/14/07]