Your first year of college is a page so blank that it can be frightening. That’s what I thought my first year, anyway. In highschool, I was super involved. There wasn’t a single day of the week during any time of the year when I didn’t have a packed schedule from 7:00 in the morning to 6:00 in the evening.
So, when I came to college and realized how much free time I had, I was honestly a bit overwhelmed. Then, I started realizing how much there was to get involved with at Cedarville, and I became so excited. Cedarville really does have a little bit of everything. (If you check out cedarville.presence.io,, you can catch a glimpse of the different types of organizations on campus). If you love music, you can audition for one of our many music groups — choirs, bands, worship groups. or Cedarville’s a capella group, The Inversions. If you like to play sports, there are a bunch of intramural teams to choose from. If you love dogs, like to fish, or can dominate in some Smash Bros, there are different orgs for you.
See what I mean? There is so much.
My freshman year, I wasn’t sure how to narrow it down. Thankfully, a wise person gave me this advice: Don’t overload yourself your first year, and just try a couple of things to start. Choose to do what you love, but also push yourself to try something new.
I followed that advice, and I think it worked out great for me. I knew I loved writing, so I used that to get involved and started writing for Cedars, Cedarville’s student-run newspaper. To try something new, I joined College Republicans. Through this org, I got to meet some really great people, and I even got to go on a really cool weekend trip to Washington, D.C.!
Over the next few years, I branched out a bit more and started getting involved in different volunteer ministries and a lot of different intramurals (my soccer team has consistently gotten second place in the intramural finals, but it’s fine, I’m fine …). Here’s a sweaty attempt at a selfie of our soccer team:
My sophomore year, I also got involved in the Campus Activities Board (CAB), and I’ve been on that team ever since! Below is a picture from my first event on CAB. We plan this thing called Alt nights, which is a super fun event where we show a new movie and have other activities going on!
In summary, there is a lot to do in college. My advice to you is to take advantage of it right away; don’t just wait for opportunities to come to you. An important first step in getting involved is to attend the Involvement Fair on Friday, August 23rd. Here, churches, ministries and orgs will have tables set up with information and people to talk to. You can learn about each org, talk to people in it, and let them know if you’re interested in joining! This event is definitely one of my favorites. It really is so much fun, and did I mention there’s free food? Here’s a picture of me and some of my closest pals at the Involvement Fair this past year!
Also, I definitely should mention that college isn’t all fun and games. Studying is important — don’t forget that you’re at college to learn and steward the gifts the Lord has given you! Thankfully, Cedarville students are blessed with the chance to have chapel every day, so you’ll be reminded of that often.
Wow, I’m ready for chapels and activities to begin once again. Less than a month! I truly cannot wait for Cedarville to be buzzing again. Cannot. Wait.
Majoring in English, Class of 2020
Favorite Book: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Favorite Pattern: Floral
Favorite State: Minnesota
Favorite List on my Phone: Potential Dog Names
Favorite Holiday: Valentine’s Day
Thing to do at 8 p.m. on a Saturday in the summer: Play catch with a football
Tags: #experiences, #gettingstarted, #love, #somethingnew, #studentguide
Posted in: College Life, Information, Student Guide, Student Life, Well-Being