University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

There are so many student organizations it is impossible not to find one that you would enjoy, and if there is not a group for one of your passions you can make one. I am currently involved with Accounting Club, Habitat for Humanity, and my dorm's Hall Council. It is very easy to get involved here on campus. Along with clubs, there are many fun athletic events that you can attend. I met my closest friends here by walking around and meeting new people in my dorm. People always leave their doors open so it is really easy to just walk in and start talking to people.

We have over 1200 registered student organizations on campus (RSOs). I've talked about them already in a different answer, but I will touch on them again. The most popular group on campus is Illini Pride which is the cheering student section for most varsity sports including basketball, football and volleyball. The most popular sport on campus is definitely Ultimate Frisbee because Frisbee in general is the favorite past-time (even I have mastered the Hammer throw!). Oh goodness, I am involved in so many groups on campus, I can barely keep track. I am president of my Honor Society, Sigma Alpha Lambda. We focus on leadership, academics and service and expanding our impact on both the campus and community. Switching to a different note, students are very open to making friends here, for instance, most students living in a residence hall will leave their door open to make friends and get to know their floor much quicker. That is how I met my closest friends, most definitely. The other way I met my best buddies was through Marching Illini. I have a small tight-knit group of friends that I love dearly and hang out with all the time. I also love my roommates, which if I am awake on a weekday at 2am, it is because my roommates and I are hanging out and having either a "heart-to-heart" or we're helping/cheerleading each other to get all of our homework done. Both of my roommates have boyfriends, one has been dating her boyfriend since high school and the other since sophomore year of college. While I am single, the dating scene is pretty big with 40,000 people on this campus. A tradition on our campus that goes along with the dating scene is the eternal flame that is located next to Lincoln Hall on the Quad. It is said that if you kiss your love under the eternal flame, you will forever have eternal bliss. Other traditions include, IlliNOISE week, Dad's Weekend, Mom's Weekend and Homecoming just to name a few. Now with traditions, comes partying. Students here usually go out or party once or twice a week is the norm. While we have the largest Greek life in the nation in regards to number of chapters, only 22{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of our student body is Greek. I personally am not Greek but I have many friends that are and they love it! But even thought I am not Greek, there is so much to do here that I don't feel like I am missing out. For instance, if you are looking for something to do on a Saturday night that doesn't involve drinking, we have laser tag, bowling, ice skating to just name a few. You can still go out to a bar and dance with your friends the whole night long, you just don't buy a drink and it's no problem at all. You can hang out with friends, order pizza and have a Disney movie night like I did last Saturday with a bunch of boys...yes...boys.

One of my favorite aspects of Illinois is all the activities you can join. Illini Pride is the largest registered student organization (RSO) on campus and it's essentially the student cheering section for athletics. This includes Orange Crush for basketball, Block I for football, Spike Squad for volleyball and one for every sport. Other RSOs include October Lover which has quite the following; they will carve pumpkins, go to Curtis Apple Orchard...just because they love October. While Illini Pride is a school spirited club and October Lovers is more recreational, there are professional organizations as well. From pre-professional organizations such as Pre-Law club or Pre-Physical Therapy club to professional business fraternities. These RSOs look good on your resume and can help connect you with the right people for jobs. Speaking of fraternities, we also have the largest Greek system in the nation. This is by number of chapters, not the number of students who participate because only about 1/4 of students participate in Greek Life. However, it is open to every student and there are social and professional chapters. For me, one RSO that has made my experience is Student Alumni Ambassadors. It's a group of about 75 students, all different years and majors, and our missions is to connect students and alumni through Illini pride and foster a united Illinois community. We put on programs such as Homecoming, Illini Sights and Sounds, which incoming students attend after convocation, and Gradfest, which all graduating students are invited to. Besides the fact that SAA is all about impacting Illinois and garnering school spirit, the people are truly unique and driven. I've found some of my best friends in SAA. We can talk about improving the organizations or how to better Illinois and then also talk about boyfriend/girlfriend issues or what our crazy friend did last night. These people and this organization have guided me into who I am and I owe it to them and Illinois. Long story short...GET INVOLVED.

One of my favorite aspects of Illinois is all the activities you can join. Illini Pride is the largest registered student organization (RSO) on campus and it's essentially the student cheering section for athletics. This includes Orange Crush for basketball, Block I for football, Spike Squad for volleyball and one for every sport. Other RSOs include October Lover which has quite the following; they will carve pumpkins, go to Curtis Apple Orchard...just because they love October. While Illini Pride is a school spirited club and October Lovers is more recreational, there are professional organizations as well. From pre-professional organizations such as Pre-Law club or Pre-Physical Therapy club to professional business fraternities. These RSOs look good on your resume and can help connect you with the right people for jobs. Speaking of fraternities, we also have the largest Greek system in the nation. This is by number of chapters, not the number of students who participate because only about 1/4 of students participate in Greek Life. However, it is open to every student and there are social and professional chapters. For me, one RSO that has made my experience is Student Alumni Ambassadors. It's a group of about 75 students, all different years and majors, and our missions is to connect students and alumni through Illini pride and foster a united Illinois community. We put on programs such as Homecoming, Illini Sights and Sounds, which incoming students attend after convocation, and Gradfest, which all graduating students are invited to. Besides the fact that SAA is all about impacting Illinois and garnering school spirit, the people are truly unique and driven. I've found some of my best friends in SAA. We can talk about improving the organizations or how to better Illinois and then also talk about boyfriend/girlfriend issues or what our crazy friend did last night. These people and this organization have guided me into who I am and I owe it to them and Illinois. Long story short...GET INVOLVED.

There are over 1,000 Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) or clubs here on campus. In other words, there is literally something for everyone. A lot of the groups are academic or service-centered, but there are a lot just for fun. One of the most popular groups is October Lovers, a place for people who love fall. They go to pumpkin patches and apple orchards and have bonfires. There's all kinds of club and intramural sports for people who like that kind of thing, and there are about a million musical groups, theater troupes, and improv outfits. Sororities and fraternities are pretty popular since we have the largest number of chapters of any college in the nation, but only about a quarter of students are actually a part of them. So we have a lot of variety, but it's not like being Greek is the only thing to do on campus by any means! There are plenty of honors and professional fraternities as well. Freshman year, a lot of the people that you become friends with are people in your residence hall. Keep your door open and you will meet a lot of people. Go to floor events too, especially in the first few weeks. Yeah, some of them might feel a little silly, but trust me it is worth it. Getting involved in your community is one of the best things you can do to make yourself feel more at home. Now, I see the same people over and over again in my classes and clubs. For a big school, Illinois is surprisingly tight-knit. A lot of people say it, but it's really true: you can make a big school feel small, but it's hard to make a small school feel big. My sister went to a tiny school, and she hated everybody by her senior year. I'm meeting new people every day, but I'm still surrounded by familiar faces. It's a great life.

There are some big organizations on campus such as Illini Pride and Orange Krush. These are student organizations are centered around sports games like football and basketball, which a lot of people go to. These groups consist of thousands of members and help students get good deals on campus as far as sports tickets and sportswear go. Student groups at UofI are called RSOs (registered student organizations) and there are hundreds of them. Anything from fencing, to sports, to jam bands, to comedy groups, to debate teams, to chemistry fanatics (check out http://illinois.collegiatelink.net). I am involved in the Illini Racquetball Club team. We meet twice a meet for "Practice" where we play racquetball matches. We have tournaments once a month and get to travel to other schools nearby like Indiana, Purdue, and Bradley, as well as hosting our own tournament. I'm also a member of a fraternity. Greek life is the biggest in the nation at UofI, meaning about 6,000 students are in a fraternity or sorority. Being in a frat/sorority isn't necessarily important but it helps you meet a lot of people very quickly, although if your not in one you'll still be able to make friends no problem. Some of my best friends are not in my fraternity and I met them freshman year in my dorm. I had a great dorm freshman year. People on my floor left there doors open and a lot of us were friends. This isn't always the case but you'll find it is a lot of the time. There is a big drinking holiday on campus called Unofficial St. Patrick's day. It's usually referred to as Unofficial for short. Basically people just get up early and drink all day. It never really gets out of hand but if your sober it's a weird experience walking down the street. Some people party like this all the time and some people don't at all. There are a lot of bars on campus and you only need to be 19 to get in (18 in Urbana). But besides that there is a lot to do on campus that doesn't involve drinking. The student union has a bowling alley and arcade inside. Chamapaign has a lot of great shopping, restaurants, theaters, and a mall.

The University of Illinois has the biggest Greek life community in the country. This means students are involved in fraternities and sororities. They give students the opportunity to become involved in philanthropy, campus activities and have a colorful social life. Every Greek organization is different. Some are purely social, while others are academic and professional. Either way, fraternities and sororities will always have a spot on your resume based on their amazing opportunities of getting involved with charities. Another popular student club is October Lovers. True to its name this group savors the feelings of fall and partakes in activities such as jumping in leaves, making bonfires, roasting marshmallows for s'mores, apple and pumpkin picking, barndance and more. Students love this club because it gives a wide range of people the opportunity to come together and do activities they love. One of the more "out there" clubs on campus is called Falling Illini. It's a sky diving club that gives students the opportunity to try out this extreme sport and even become certified in diving solo if you want. With over 1,000 groups and clubs, even if these activities do not catch your interest it is impossible not to hear about an organization on campus that would be right for you. One of the best parts about the University of Illinois is the ability to get involved in so many things. Take advantage of it!

If there is one thing that almost every student is involved with on the U of I campus, it is athletics. The University of Illinois is home to 19 scholarship teams. While basketball and football are favorites among the students, many also spend Friday nights watching our elite volleyball team or catch a women's soccer game on a Sunday afternoon. For those who don't enjoy sports, they can find a group for almost everything that suits their interest. If one doesn't exist, they can start it! Many student groups do not require any set level of commitment, so students can be as involved as they choose to be. Aside from clubs and sports, it is easy for students to make friends in the dorms, especially in the beginning weeks of the school year. The welcome week activities before the school year begin are a great place to start making friends and becoming familiar with the campus. While many students do enjoy a night out on the town, there are many alternatives. One such alternative is Illinites, hosted by the Illini Union once a month on Friday night. Each Illinite has a set theme and features free entertainment, activities, and food.

Greek life is by far the most popular groups on campus. The recruitment process each fall is publicized by all fraternities and sororities and freshman are quite aware of it. Business fraternities are very popular as well. However, there are over 1,000 registered student organizations so there is not just one popular club to be in on campus. There is something for everyone. I am involved in the Student Advisory Committee for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. I am the co-chair and the students on this committee work on advising issues, class time issues, admissions efforts, and much more. We have been able to advise the Dean on various issues and students can contact us with suggestions or concerns. Their voice is most defiantly heard by the College. The faculty is very receptive. Athletic events are very well-attended by students. Students have a great deal of pride about sports. Many students are single and are very social. There are also many people that are dating, but I would say there is no pressure to date and most of the relationships are not very serious until after graduation. That being said there are many people that become open to dating less seriously. I met my best friends at clubs and through my fraternity. My fraternity has allowed me to meet so many friends of friends that now are my best friends. I have met people at parties at my house and also through other social events that the house has. I have joined organizations that people in the house are in on campus and developed close friends there. I don't know what I would be like if I didn't join the house because so many of my friends came from it. If I am awake late, I either am at a bar as the bar scene is extremely popular since the entry age is only 19 (21 to drink) or I am studying on my computer. People go out to the bars quite a bit or apartment/fraternity parties every weekend. People do drink a lot and you can always find someone to go out with. However, there are many opportunities such as guest speakers, lectures, and events at the Student Union to attend if one does not want to become involved in the party scene. Fraternity and sororities have a huge presence, but are very accepting of anyone and social.

The University of Illinois has the biggest Greek life in the country. This means students are involved in fraternities and sororities. They give students the opportunity to become involved in philanthropy, campus activities, and have a colorful social life. Every Greek organization is different. Some are purely social, while others are academic and professional. Either way, fraternities and sororities will always have a spot on your resume based on their amazing opportunities of getting involved with charities. Another popular student club is October Lovers. True to its name this group savors the feelings of fall and partakes in activities such as jumping in leaves, making bonfires, roasting marshmallows for s'mores, apple and pumpkin picking, barndance, and more. Students love this club because it gives a wide range of people to come together doing activities they love. One of the more "out there" clubs on campus is called Falling Illini. It's a sky diving club that gives students the opportunity to try out this extreme sport and even become certified in diving solo if you want. With over 1,000 groups and clubs, even if these activities do not catch your interest it is impossible not to hear about an organization on campus that would be right for you. One of the best parts about the University of Illinois is the ability to get involved in so many things. Take advantage of it!