I am sure everyone has heard it at one time or another. Students complaining that CSUN is a commuter school or that there is nothing to do at CSUN. Well I have bad news for those of you out there who don’t feel a connection to this campus: It’s your fault!

I know how it is too. I commuted to CSUN for 3 years from Moorpark, 25 miles away, and it really sucked. I would take Tuesday/Thursday classes and schedule them back to back as best I could in order to not have to sit around campus for too long. I spent my free time sleeping or talking on the phone to people back home or even just walking around. I even found a nice grassy spot next to the building that used to be where the Sol Center is now in the Student Union where I could go to sleep for a few hours without being bothered. I felt no connection to the campus at all.

I got lucky one day. A guy in one of my classes befriended me and I eventually joined his fraternity. It has been the best decision I ever made. I realized that outside of the classroom and the Sierra Center there is a thriving CSUN community with all of the run-of-the-mill college experiences one could ever want, all I had to do was find it. I even went from Academic Probation to the Dean’s List in one semester.

This phenomena isn’t limited to Greek life either. If you are religious, CSUN has religious clubs where you can meet people with similar spiritual beliefs. If you are interested in learning more about your culture, we have many cultural organizations you can join. If you are athletic, join one of the many sport clubs. If you are crazy about your major there are also many academic clubs. If you are political, join the student government. There are over 200 chartered clubs at CSUN.

The point is that if you are feeling a lack of belonging on campus, seek out the group you think you would fit the best in. If you don’t like that group, quit and join a different one. The only person you have to blame for the boring CSUN you experience is yourself. But if you take a chance and go to the club meeting you saw the flyer or billboard for, you may actually find the college experience you are really wanted. Give it a try.