When I started at SFU two years ago, I was told that it is a “commuter campus” with little sense of community. While this notion is commonly thrown around, it’s definitely a misconception. The most important advice I can offer any student — in first year or otherwise — is that the university experience is what you make of it.
If you are a student attending classes and promptly heading home right afterward, you’re opting out of many opportunities to get involved with the many different communities on campus.
One of my recommendations for any new student is to check out SFU Volunteer Services. They link students to many campus opportunities in a variety of fields. Additionally, they provide a chance for a student to network with other students and enrich their community through different passions.
My brief experience with SFU Volunteer Services in my first semester led me to write for the ENGAGE blog, a forum dedicated to exploring the ways a student could get involved on campus. Though that was only a short commitment on my part, it was a valuable experience. I began by explaining what my interests were, and I was recommended an opportunity that suited who I was as a volunteer, and the amount of available time I had. If you find yourself overwhelmed — or the opposite — by the different choices available on campus, this is the place to find your starting point.
Meeting other people on campus is a great conduit both for making friends and for finding ways to get involved. Many students are affiliated with various groups on campus which welcome new participants at any time. Through this, it is possible to build a social network that allows you to be privy to what is happening on campus while also being able to avoid the potential discomfort of showing up alone. Start by introducing yourself to classmates, because you already have one thing in common by being here.
Another important place where community is fostered on campus is the academic groups within a faculty or department. When you declare a major, minor, or certificate, you are gaining membership into a group with a plethora of ridiculously cool people. Professors and graduate students may be intimidating when they are teaching you, but they are generally really approachable and love to talk about their research and experiences in the field.
Meeting people on campus is a conduit for making friends and finding ways to get involved.
I, for one, feel most comfortable on campus walking through the SFU Linguistics Department, because I feel a part of that community. There is a strong sense of belonging when you can get excited about very specific things in a field and not be questioned about why you have a favourite click. It should also be noted that events hosted by a department tend to feature free food or coffee for those who show up.
Moreover, SFU is home to many communities built around common passions outside of academic fields. For those interested in health or sports, SFU Recreation and Athletics offers ways to support or get involved with SFU’s teams. For the average student, there are options to join sports clubs, intramural teams, and a diverse selection of classes ranging from burlesque to fencing. If social or environmental activism are more your thing, SFPIRG and Sustainable SFU are always looking for students to get involved.
Between academia and broader universal interests, there is community at SFU, if one knows where to look. SFU is only a “commuter campus” for students who view it as such.
