As you get ready to come to USC, you might be a little nervous about getting the most out of your experience here, making friends, staying active, getting involved on campus, and on top of that maintaining your classes. Well it’s not as hard as you might think. There are some awesome organizations in Viterbi where you can connect with other engineering majors and work on projects that relate to engineering and/or your major specifically! There are also a boat load of non-Viterbi clubs and organizations where you can meet people with similar interests outside of your major.
Viterbi:
Getting involved in Viterbi organizations is not only good for connecting with other engineering students like you or in your major, but it’s also a great way to get involved in projects that give you real-life experience in engineering (great resume boosters!). Some of the organizations that I’ve enjoyed being involved in include Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). If you want a complete list of Viterbi Orgs, you can go here!
University-wide:
If you want to get away from engineering and explore some of your other interests, you can find clubs and organizations for almost anything. If you want to stay active and play a sport, you can join an intramural or club sports team. If you want to volunteer or explore something new, there are clubs for pretty much anything you can think of. And if you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can always create a new organization! Some of the non-Viterbi orgs I’m involved in are Providing Animals With Shelter (PAWS – an animal volunteer group), Environmental Affairs Organization (EAO), and American Sign Language Club (ASL). For a complete list of USC university-wide organizations, you can visit the website here.
I know it might sound like a lot to juggle when you’re involved in so many things and you’re trying to keep up with your classes and your friends, but staying busy and involved is part of what makes college exciting! When you’re doing a bunch of things that you enjoy and studying a major that you love, it doesn’t feel like work. And don’t be afraid to try something new! You might find that you have a knack for fencing or that you have a passion for engineering philanthropy! At the beginning of each semester there are involvement fairs and rec sports fairs, so sign up for everything, check out the meetings/practices, and stick with what you like.
