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Finding community can be one of the most challenging aspects of getting involved as a student. But there are many benefits to stepping out of your comfort zone, having patience and trying new things until you find what’s right for you. 

We spoke with three current Buffs–Paige, Michael and Jordan–to learn more about how they got involved on campus. They shared their stories on the obstacles they faced, the experiences they had, the lessons they learned and the benefits of getting involved and finding community on campus. 

Finding your place  

Michael is in his third year at CU Boulder. He is majoring in political science and business with an emphasis in finance and operations management. He has worked at the Rec Center for almost three years, but it took him some time to find his community.  

“My first semester at CU was challenging for me to find a group of people that I really wanted to be a part of or that I really enjoyed being around all the time. I hadn’t found a club on campus that I liked or that I wanted to get involved in yet.” Even so, he didn’t give up hope that he could find an opportunity to meet new people and get involved. 

“I had been attending the Rec Center’s fitness and wellness classes during the fall of my freshman year and I noticed a sense of community between the staff that worked there. They seemed like they really worked well together. I wondered if I could apply and start to build that sense of community for myself.” Michael applied and was hired as a front desk staff member at the Rec. Now that he has worked there for some time, Michael has seen that meeting other students and getting to know them has made coming to work worthwhile. 

“I have really enjoyed working at the Rec Center and I’ve gotten to know a lot of the people that work there. We get to know a lot about each other’s lives, like what we’re doing in school, other jobs we might have or additional clubs that we’re a part of. You really get to know the people that you’re working with, and I think that’s how we really build that sense of community.”

One of the factors that has kept Michael involved is the experiences and impact he gets to be a part of for other students on campus. “I really feel like I am contributing to campus and this ‘student experience.’ It helps me feel like I’m involved when I get to know other students and help them with something. This is a big positive of working on campus.” 

As Michael continues to grow in his job and foster those relationships, he advises anyone looking for ways to get involved to “pursue every opportunity that you can, and ones that you genuinely want to pursue. Keep every door open because you never know how something’s going to turn out. Even as you try new things, remember that finding community takes time, and that’s OK. Take your time and be patient. Most of my favorite people that I’ve met and have built a really strong community with, I didn’t meet until the past two semesters. I think it’s important to take your time and don’t feel pressured to meet someone right away or find a group immediately.”

Saying yes to find your no’s

Jordan knew that she wanted to get involved on campus as soon as possible. “Before I even got to campus, there were a few organizations that I had applied for that were a little more exclusive. I didn’t end up getting into them. I think that kind of took me aback because I was very academic in high school and I didn’t know what went wrong. That rejection kind of stings. It’s not a great feeling. So when I came to campus, I was ready to try again.”  

Fast-forward three years and Jordan is studying marketing and finance in political business with a minor in communication. She is currently working as CU GOLD’s program marketing director, and as a front desk staff member for the Leeds School of Business. 

“I was involved in the Core Leadership Program through CU GOLD my freshman year, then had an opportunity to apply for their executive board. I applied and started running their social media. I was shadowing the person who had previously been the marketing director and because she was graduating, her position was opening up. I knew this was an opportunity I was interested in and something that was really attractive to me.” Jordan slowly moved her way up from being a participant to being part of the executive board to becoming the marketing director for CU GOLD, a program run through the Center for Student Involvement (CSI). 

Even though she may have added to her responsibilities, there were rewards as well. “I really felt like I was a part of not just CU GOLD, but a valued staff member of the CU Boulder community and this has made me feel much closer to the CU community as a whole,” says Jordan. 

Jordan’s experience at and outside of work has been shaped by the friendships she’s made. “It’s super nice having other students I’m working with in my classes. Not only have we become friends, but we also make group chats to study and to talk about tests and things like that.” She realizes that “it’s helped me stay more studious because when I get to work, we’re talking about classes, we’re talking about what’s upcoming and what’s next. And when you go to class and you see that friend who’s also a coworker, it becomes a full circle.”

One piece of advice Jordan has is to sign up for everything and don’t get too picky, at least to start.  

“I was looking for literally anything. I put my name and my email on every Be Involved Fair tent. I said to myself ‘Whatever lands in my lap I’m gonna run with it. I’m not going to be picky.’” She realized that this method allowed her to cross off everything she wasn’t interested in and focus on what she actually liked. “As I started attending meetings for all these different organizations, I started narrowing down what actually interested me, and then once I narrowed it down, I was able to say, ‘Oh, I really enjoy this and I want to go farther in this.’ So it’s constantly seeking and wanting to get involved that will make the difference.”

Rewards of stepping out of your comfort zone

Now in her second year at CU Boulder, Paige has never given up on trying new things to get involved on campus. She started her involvement journey by applying for two different positions the summer before her first year at CU Boulder; one with the Rec Center and the other with Residence Life. 

“I went on to the Rec Center website and they had a tab on the front page that said ‘employment.’ I scrolled down, saw Guest Services and thought, ‘I’m fun and personable because I like to work with people.’ So I sent in my application. This was the summer going into my freshman year, so I was terrified!” 

Shortly after submitting her application, Paige was called for an interview. “I interviewed literally the day after I moved into my residence hall. So I’m sitting in my empty room interviewing and I'm shaking, but it was fantastic!” She started working at the Rec Center shortly after. 

Her Residence Life application was a different story. “I originally got waitlisted for Residence Life my first semester and didn’t hear back, and with all honesty, I was hurt. No one likes getting rejected. But then, over winter break, they reached out to me and asked if I was still interested. I was, so I started working at Residence Life the second semester of my first year.” 

Paige is also a student ambassador and shares that after working on campus and getting involved, she feels more connected to campus. “I realized how much I really love being a part of the CU Boulder community, feeling like I have an impact. It’s kind of hard to feel really connected to the university, especially when it’s so large. But now that I’m working with the university, I feel way more connected to it. I feel way more passionate about it.” 

Paige is studying strategic communications with an emphasis in strategic advertising. She is also pursuing a minor in creative technology and design. Her best advice for other students? “Just keep trying different things. There are so many different avenues to get involved on campus. It’s completely overwhelming. But because there are so many, there are so many different places for you to meet new people. It just takes a little push, a little moment of boldness, even if you go at it alone. There are so many doors open for you, just walk through every single one if you need to.”

Whether you’re looking to find your community, meet new people or simply make CU Boulder feel like home, keep trying different things and you’ll find your place.  

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