Nigel Cares: Connect to Campus

By Stacie Rowley

Associate Dean of Students

Whether you are a commuter student or residential student, each of our campuses has much to offer. Making connections on campus will help you be successful.

Connecting on campus can be as simple as hanging out on campus between and after classes or more intense, like taking on a leadership role in a student organization.

Students who make these connections have a stronger sense of belonging and typically do better academically.

So what can you do to connect? Below are some suggestions for you to be successful.

• Hang out. Many buildings have places for students to lounge between classes. Spending time in these areas increase your opportunities to meet people. These people could share your major or other interests. This is also a great way to meet people from your classes and form student groups.
• Participate in student life. There are robust opportunities to get involved in student life. Join a student organization, attend events or play an intramural sport.
• Use student resources. The university wants students to be successful in all facets of their life. Included in the tuition and fees you pay are a wide variety of resources at your disposal. Use tutoring services or visit the writing lab to get help academically. Keep your body healthy by using the gym, Student Counseling and Student Health Services. Learn more about your chosen major, explore job opportunities, or get help with your resume by visiting Career Services. Don't just use the library for books and articles. The librarians can help you with research you need to do. Here is a great list of campus resources.
• Interact with faculty. Have conversations with your faculty members. Besides being a wealth of knowledge, they can help connect you to resources on campus as well as connect you with opportunities outside the university in your area of interest, research opportunities and scholarships. Faculty are your first great networking opportunity.
• Get a job. There are many places that hire student workers across campus, such as food service, recreational sports, student involvement and academic departments. A job as a student worker gives students the ability to work where they learn. Many on-campus jobs offer more flexible schedules for classes than traditional off-campus employment.
• Explore UNG Connect. UNG Connect is the hub for all student organizations and events on campus. Many departments also have pages in UNG Connect as well. Getting in the habit of visiting UNG Connect can inform you of events, meetings and services that are offered.

Challenge yourself to do one or more of these things the first two weeks of the fall semester. Check out Nighthawks Fest on your campus, which is designed to help you learn more about student organizations.

Please contact me at Stacie.Rowley@ung.edu or 678-717-3622 with any questions you have. Welcome to campus, Nighthawks!