There’s No Better Time to Make Changes

Welcome, 2023, and welcome back students! The campus felt empty without everyone here. I hope that you all had a restful break after the stresses of the first semester. I also hope that everyone is ready to jump back into another eventful one.

New Year’s is a time for change and creating resolutions, but it also brings in the fresh start that a new class schedule will bring. After all, you now have the experience of what works well for you and what you wish you would have done differently. Take what you learned last semester, and apply it to the upcoming one. That could look like a variety of things, such as taking more efficient notes, talking to professors during their office hours, or creating a better balance between work and fun. Start off this semester strong, so you won’t be as burnt out like you were at the end of last semester.

Outside of classes, you can still stick to your New Year’s Resolutions. A common thing that I have heard from my residents is that they wish that they felt like they have a space in which they belong on campus. One of the most effective ways to do this is to get more involved. Think about what you want to get out of organizations on campus. Do you want to join something that interests you as a person? Do you want to join something that relates to your major? NDSU has over 250 student organizations on campus, so you are very likely to find something you want to be a part of.

You can always go onto the MyNDSU website and look into the list of campus organizations there. You can ask to be a member and get put onto their email list. These first few weeks the clubs are just starting back up, so there is not as much pressure to know everyone there or what is going on. Keeping your eyes open to other campus activities is a good way to do this. Advertisements are posted on walls and sent in emails, don’t be afraid to take a little time to learn more about them.

A new year and a new semester will provide a variety of opportunities. Say “yes” to them when they come along. With this mentality, I have become an executive member of multiple clubs, and have been an RA for three years now. I took a chance on these opportunities, and have grown to love them. It is okay to explore things and learn what you like and what works for you. Worst case scenario, you move on and try something else. Now is the time to make a change, don’t be afraid to go for it and stick to it.