Autumn marks many milestones: longer nights, a run of popular holidays and the beginning of a new academic year.
For some students, this will be their first year attending Oregon State University — and they might be wondering what to do. Knowing what they can do to become more acclimated and involved is crucial.
To get involved, OSU offers hundreds of clubs and organizations for students to join. Several days are built in throughout the year where OSU Clubs and Organizations are out giving information about their groups.
“Make sure to go to events, such as Beaver Community Fair, Orange Media Network open house, and career fairs,” Daniel Gruss, academic advisor for the School of Communications, said.
The Beaver Community Fair will be happening Sept. 26 from noon to 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union Quad and Student Experience Center Plaza. OMN’s open house is on Oct. 8 from 4-6 p.m. on the fourth floor of the Student Experience Center. Career fairs will be happening several times throughout fall term. The first one is Oct. 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the SEC Plaza. For more information, visit the OSU Career Development Center’s website.
“Invite your floormates to join you at these events as well. Also, don’t show up last minute and expect to talk to people,” Gruss added.
For students interested in joining Greek life, the recruitment process, known as Rush, takes place during the first few weeks of fall term.
If you are living on campus and have a lot of questions, University Housing and Dining Services can help.
UHDS has ensured that every dorm facility is equipped with rentable cleaning supplies and moving equipment to help all year round.
“Students can go to many places online or in person to get support and help from UHDS,” said Brian Stroup, director of operations and facilities at UHDS. “Our vision is to provide a transformative on-campus experience that will engage our students in community, enrich their lives, and help them flourish and thrive.”
A lot of information can be found on the official UHDS website about where to apply for housing, cost of living estimates and dining hall locations.
“For in-person assistance, students have many options. Residence hall staff are trained to support students and connect them to campus resources. From finding their classes and coping with homesickness to any type of crisis, help is available right there in the hall,” Stroup said.
OSU embraces diversity, with several clubs and organizations that offer opportunities for students to connect to people with similar interests and backgrounds, such as special events, days of celebration and guest speakers.
“In each hall, a Diversity Learning Assistant provides programs to all students within their community that explore identity and show how our differences make us unique, but our similarities tie us together in community,” Stroup added.
There is a Diversity and Cultural Engagement calendar that is available on the OSU website that details more upcoming events.
And finally, for students interested in going pro in their own ways, intramural events are offered throughout the school year. There is a vast number of sports and tournaments offered. More information on how to register can be found at IMLeagues.com.
For those interested in a more leisurely pace, Mario Kart and Wii Sports tournaments are also available.
The 2025-26 academic school year will officially begin on Sept. 24.
