The beauty of your first year at Wake Forest is that you have endless opportunities to get involved in whatever catches your interest. You will walk around the student activities fair and be overwhelmed with everything available to you. This article is not by any means intended to be a comprehensive list, but just a sampler of a few great options.
If you’re trying to get involved in volunteer work, the most obvious options are Project Pumpkin, Hit the Bricks or Wake ‘N Shake — some of Wake’s biggest annual philanthropic events.
Another popular on-campus volunteer opportunity is Campus Kitchen, a student-led group that prepares unused food and redistributes it across Winston-Salem. Helping to Overcome Physical Expectations (HOPE) is a club that sends students to local special needs school in Winston-Salem. Students help the teachers maintain the classroom and spend time with the children. Habitat for Humanity, the organization that builds affordable housing nationwide, has a strong chapter at Wake Forest.
For the gym rat, try teaching group exercise classes at the Miller Center or joining a club or intramural sports team. Many students go to the Breathing Room for yoga or to the Pure Barre studio in Reynolda Village.
If you’d rather get your heart rate up in some fresh air, Outdoor Pursuits offers regular trips such as hiking, white water rafting and more.
If you’re more interested in the journalism department than the business school, there are tons of publications for you to get involved in, each with its own unique voice. While the Old Gold & Black is my unbiased, personal favorite, you can also get involved in HerCampus, Spoon University or the Odyssey Online (but only if you’re in Greek life). If you’re interested in broadcast or video production, head to the basement of Carswell for Wake TV. For those of you trying to be the next hit radio DJ, check out Wake Radio.
Got a sharp tongue and a quick mind? Get involved in our championship-winning debate team.
In spite of what it may seem, Wake has a small but thriving community of music and the arts. There are several a cappella groups, ranging from all-girls to co-ed, religious to otherwise. You could also consider joining Concert Choir or the marching band.
There are even diverse options for dancers — Momentum Dance Crew for those who enjoy hip hop, and the Dance Company for those who enjoy more traditional dance.
If you’re passionate about theatre, try out for one of the many plays the theatre department puts on throughout the year.
At times, Wake Forest can seem very homogenous, so get connected with groups such as the Black Student Alliance and ASIA (Asian Student Interest Association). For members or allies of the LGBTQ community, the Gay-Straight Student Alliance (GSSA) aims to promote understanding and acceptance of the queer community.
If you want to get involved in a religious organization, there are a lot of options. Reformed University Fellowship and InterVarsity are both great Christian organizations. Hillel meets regularly to provide Jewish programs for students. The Interfaith Council is a group of students from different religions that meet to discuss interfaith issues in an attempt to increase awareness and understanding.
Overall, the options for forging your own path at Wake Forest are endless. Check out the activities fair, get some contact information and get involved.
