Clubs Story , The Daily Tar Heel, 6/01

Amy McClure is jumping in feet first.      To the college experience, that is.      McClure, 18, a rising freshmen from Dallas, N.C., just found out she made the UNC Dance Team, and during C-Tops, and she her friends gathered in The Pit to learn more about Pi Beta Chi, the Christian fraternity she plans to join.      "My sister was in (Pi Beta Chi), and she loved it," McClure said. "It was a great way for her to meet a whole bunch of people, and she got so involved with it and it's just really helped her now."      During C-Tops, McClure felt an instant connection with the group, since many of them remembered her sister, Melissa, a 2000 graduate. McClure thinks joining campus groups her first year is a great way to meet people and get involved in her university.      "I think it will help me like Carolina better, because if I just sit in my dorm room and do nothing, then I'm going to hate it and I'm going to end up wanting to leave," McClure said.      Joining campus organizations is especially important for new students who are trying to meet people. Patrick Pace, 20, a junior history major, decided to attend a Campus Crusade for Christ meeting with his roommate and ended up meeting his three best friends.      "I'm pretty sure we'll have lifelong friendships from that, so that was really good for me, and going to the weekly meetings has really enriched me too because you get to hang out with a lot of other Christians," Pace said. "It just sort of builds you up."      Marcellus Parker, 20, a sophomore Political Science and Management in Society double major, agrees that joining campus organizations enriches a student's college experience. Parker is currently the Corporate Chairman of Dance Marathon, a fund-raiser that benefits the N.C. Children's Hospital.      "I think there's a lot you can gain from being a part of clubs and organizations here, Dance Marathon or whatever else you find," Parker said. "I think it helps to get to know people, to give you an out from academics and also just allow you to be a part of something bigger than yourself here."      Jeffrey Fuchs, Director of Athletic Bands and Coordinator of Band Activities, thinks being a part of campus organizations, especially the bands, gives students a tangible and visible presence on campus.      "They don't only go to football games, they are part of what is a Carolina football Saturday," Fuchs said.      In addition, Fuchs said many of his players get the opportunity to interact with campus leaders.      "I think a chancellor, a dean, a provost, an athletic director is this nameless, faceless person, but to our students, they're real," Fuchs said. "They have dinner with us (and) they come and see the kids at athletic events."      Getting involved in campus organizations has obvious advantages, but balancing academics and activities is a juggling act that requires students to exercise good time management skills to be successful.      In preparation for the Dance Team, McClure has to run, do aerobics, cardiovascular workouts and crunches daily. And once school begins, she'll practice two days a week in addition to gym workouts and running. But McClure feels that establishing a routine will help her be successful.      Parker said students trying to find that balance between school and social activities might need to limit their involvement to just a few organizations or accept a less demanding role in their organization.      "We have such a wide range of opportunities for you to participate (in Dance Marathon)," Parker said. "You can do something as committed as being a committee member or sub-chair or a chairperson of one of the committees or you can do something as significant as just being a volunteer for the actual Dance Marathon."      "The great thing is that there are so many options, and for the kid who's taking 17 hours, participating in the marathon might be a better idea than trying to hold a full chairmanship."      Time is not the only sacrifice students have to make, however. In organizations like band, students miss out on being traditional sports fans.      "When we're at a football game, they only cheer for the team," Fuchs said. "We don't question the coaching calls, they won't be chanting obscene things (and) they won't be harassing referees."      "They have to aspire to a higher level of conduct at those athletic events."      But despite the time restraints and other minor sacrifices, most students agree that joining campus organizations has only enriched their Carolina experience.      "It's definitely social, you meet a lot of people and you have that close-knit group that you can always rely on," McClure said.