The first week on campus can feel like a chaotic whirlwind. New students are inundated with confusing acronyms for buildings, introduced to dorm life and must adjust to a dining hall diet. Even in the second semester, the same pressures can return in full. The hassle of filling out an application or participating in an interview for a student organization is even more overwhelming. 

Interviews require you to step into an intimidating environment early on in your college career, and applications carry a time commitment that’s rewarded with uncertainty. However, if students brave the doubt, they may find a community ready and willing to accept them with open arms. Students should push through the fear of the unknown and apply for organizations regardless of the admissions process.

Music senior Justin Phung went through an application process during his first year at UT to join the student-run group, The Gender and Sexuality Committee. Despite the required application, Phung decided to apply as a freshman and was accepted. 

“If it’s something that you’re really passionate about and if you do see that initial barrier, taking the reins of controlling what you want to do, especially when looking at clubs that you’re really interested in, I would say fill out the application,” Phung said. 

The initial barrier of applying can be burdensome. While students may question the benefit of investing extra time, the payoffs can be huge. Sade Dawson-Love, director of Student Activities, encouraged students to take the leap of faith because things often work out for the best.

“I’ve seen a range of people who felt their student organizations were highly beneficial to their career development because they got into an org that was profession-based,” Dawson-Love said. “But then I’ve also seen a good range of people who felt like student organizations were phenomenal, and they have lifelong friends even after graduation.”

Although students may be inclined to join organizations that don’t require an application or interview, choosing an organization based solely on its admissions process could cause them to miss out on a valuable opportunity. While some students find their homes in organizations that don’t restrict membership, deciding the right fit should be based on the organization and its mission. 

“Taking that initiative is really the first step,” Phung advised. “It could be a hard step, but it is something that will push you forward out of your comfort zone and will help you apply for more things in the future.”

The connections we form in college are unlike any others, and any opportunity to grow them with people who share our interests is beneficial. Even if a student doesn’t get in, there’s no harm in making the effort, and many of the applications are less time-consuming than they might appear.

College is a stressful time — especially at the outset of a new semester — but the added effort early on could help you connect with those who share similar passions or motivations. Take the extra step and invest the added time. You never know where it might lead.

Doud is a journalism and government freshman from Conroe, Texas.