Five Events to Attend While at SFU

SFU is one of the biggest universities; it is diverse and loaded with different activities that cater to every student’s wants, needs and desires. You know how the movies make college look like a giant party? Well, sometimes it doesn’t feel like that; you actually find yourself swamped with homework and other responsibilities. It is hard balancing school and having an outside-life, but sometimes you can be on-campus and still do things that are pretty exciting.

Still, I wanted to share with you some of the amazing events SFU has got to offer. Of course, we all have different experiences and we all have different definitions of what we find fun. These are all from my personal experience but as someone who does not go out much, doing things on-campus has been quite the experience. Whether you want to volunteer or attend, here are some ideas of events that made my experience at SFU quite interesting.

1. TedxSFU—If you’re interested in learning about really cool matters or listening to really inspiring people, well, this is for you. Actually, this is for everyone. There is always something you can relate to, someone you’ll know, and something that will change how you see things. It has never been a disappointment.
    
2. Seminars—There are always so many seminars happening around SFU, at all the campuses. These feature interesting guest lecturers and speakers coming from around the world and from different universities. There are many different topics they go over—the environment, religion, politics, etc. If you’re into listening to speakers and broadening your knowledge. I would recommend going to a few of these. Some of the ones I have attended focused on Criminology and were interesting because speakers gave solid advice and answered questions you might have about your career choice. Some are also really witty and fun to listen to.
    
3. Fundraisers—At SFU, there exists countless types of fundraisers you can attend or volunteer at. I have had the opportunity to do both! These have been fun and exciting experiences. There’s nothing like meeting new people, eating food and doing something for a good cause. There are pub nights, karaoke nights, or camp outs, which all are loads of fun. There are also fundraisers for really positive causes such as Balding for Dollars or even events within your own faculties. Fundraisers will let you help others while helping yourself by having some fun.
    
4. Open House—Although the annual Open House is mostly focused at the Surrey Campus, it is still a lot of fun and worth the commute. I have had the opportunity to attend and also to volunteer. You can’t even tell the difference. The people who volunteer make this experience so much fun, they are so lively and energetic. The people who attend are just as fun! There is always something to do. Similar to this, SFU has some other events at each campus that allow for community involvement. There are always the President’s fall or winter events in Convocation Mall, which are often filled with laughter and free food. Who doesn’t want free food?
    
5. Kickoffs—There is always some sort of kickoff at SFU each semester. So far, I have attended one of the Fall Kickoffs. I had never been to anything like it, and even though I was volunteering, I had a lot of fun. Some of us who were volunteering were later able to go and be a part of the crowd. This was an interesting experience because I never expected to like the music that was played, but I did. This is just an example of one of the things SFU does; you can explore musical interests, meet new people, and dance around in convocation mall.

I know some of these are pretty broad but I’d be writing a lot more if I listed all the events I know of and have attended. I can honestly say that SFU has a lot of different things to offer. Some are free, and some cost a little bit of money, but in the end you just want to have fun. It cannot all be just work and no play. Take some time, explore the campus, and enjoy making new friends and eating the food. If you do, you will be leaving SFU with a great experience.

Martha Espinoza is in her last semester at SFU. She is majoring in Criminology. She enjoys volunteering, writing and having lots of fun. She is interested in building community between students and the campus.