Ways to Shape Campus Culture

By: Adrianna Lattanzio

Image courtesy of Yan Krukau through Pexels.

Creating Your Own Space in a Big Campus

James Madison University covers a physically large space: the campus can feel massive at times. Trying to navigate such a large campus with a large student population (and variety of clubs and organizations) can quickly become overwhelming. How can you create a culture of your own when still just figuring out how to get to D-Hall? Trying to tackle the entire campus may be uncomfortable, but you can start by creating an environment that is meaningful to you, even if it is small. College is the time to find where you belong, whether it's a club, a friend group or a favorite spot to eat on campus. Now is the time for you to tailor an experience that suits the life you want and to cultivate a skill set that will benefit you.

Start With What You Know

If you don't know where to start, join clubs or student organizations that feel familiar to you. If you were an athlete in highschool, join an athletic club; if you are more artistic, join creative clubs! By finding a space you know you feel comfortable in, you begin to open yourself up to like minded individuals, while making room for new experiences. 

Once you’ve surrounded yourself in a place where you feel comfortable, you gradually begin to connect with people who have similar interests as you. The new connections you have made become the foundation of your friendships and opportunities you may not have expected. When you start to feel comfortable, the confidence to continue to build and solidify personal relationships and opportunities grows.

Beginning in a place of familiarity makes it easier to branch out and introduce yourself to new experiences. You're not alone in starting in a new place. JMU is full of people in all years who are trying new majors, clubs, and other hobbies for the first time. By participating yourself, you’re inspiring others around you to branch out as well.

Branch Out

Establishing your base is important, but what’s next? Once you've begun to feel confident in the spaces that allow you to make those initial impressions, you'll find that those friendships lead to other opportunities. These insightful perspectives lead you to take on new hobbies and other interests that you may not have otherwise considered exploring before. A biology major might find out that they're interested in singing, then join an acapella group. An architectural design student might join an environmental club and decide they want to design eco-friendly architecture. These connections make campus life more dynamic and set the stage for future opportunities, allowing for exploration of potential interests. 

The trick is not to just stay in places you're comfortable with. Take what you've learned from your stepping stones and progress forward to build on what you already know. Cultivate confidence, not only in the present moments, but also in your ability to grow and adapt to new challenges. Use what you’ve learned to propel yourself forward. This process only continues once you enter the professional world. You're always going to be meeting someone with a different job and different responsibilities. Learning to be confident in your ability to grow allows you to continue making fruitful connections that’ll benefit you long into your future careers and personal relationships.