Staying social at college may not always be easy. Such an environment can be difficult to navigate, and some students may struggle to put themselves out there.

However, it’s not impossible.

College is also full of resources, spaces, and diverse groups that can help students find community on campus.

The Union asked students around campus how they stay social, engage on campus and explore student spaces.

Fashion major Stefania Romanoff, 25, engages with her professors by showing interest in the subjects being taught but wants to improve engagement with other students.

“I don’t have a lot of friends in class cause usually when I’m in class I try to focus,” Romanoff said. “I feel like a lot of other people don’t usually concentrate, and they just kind of bicker, so I try not to do that and focus on the assignment.”

Communications major Abigail Morey, 20, understands how established student groups on campus can be a place of sanctuary. For Morey, it’s the speech and debate team.

“I was looking for a place to have fellowship, and speech and debate one hundred percent fulfilled me in that way,” Morey said. “It helped me get into a community that I never would have otherwise found on campus.”

Sociology major Carissa Curriston, 30, says the Social Justice Center on campus has opened many doors for community building and making lasting connections.

“I have found like a little bit of community in other places, but it’s not really like a strong or lasting sense of community, it’s more temporary,” Curriston said.

Editors Savannah Anderson, Nikki Yunker and interns Bailey Meacham, Oriana de Quay and Nicolas Tomsio contributed to this story.