When I went to my first-ever lecture of my freshman year, I felt like an outsider. I was sitting in a lecture hall with 450 other students, and I felt like a fake. I was sure they could tell I wasn't one of them. That I was living off campus.

Perpetual Parent-free Party. The three P's that sum up residence. Living on campus is one of the biggest, most exciting aspects of living the university student dream. Right? But how can you be a part of campus life when you're not even on it?

For Tiffany King, leaving residence after her first year wasn't such a bad thing. "Weekends could be rough with so many other students using the weekends to drink and party."

Now living off campus, the second-year Environmental Studies student at Algonquin College has escaped the constant party atmosphere. While in residence, she found it hard to concentrate on her school work or get to sleep and every weekend found the bathroom a mess. But she admits she'd probably go through it all again. "Partying aside, I made some good friends from living in residence and have some good memories from there."

Like Ms. King, Stephen Bagwell, a third-year student in Philosophy at the University of Saskatchewan, doesn't underestimate what residence can do for your social life. "You have to get out there and meet people, and living in residence forces you to do this. You have a head start on your social networking."

So how do you do it? How do you get involved and be a part of university when you're missing from campus half the time? Mr. Bagwell lives off campus, but he's able to make up for his absence on campus by making his appearances count. He says joining lots of clubs and on-campus groups is a great way to meet other students. "It's really rare when something can't be found to suit everyone's tastes on campus. Chances are that no matter what you're into, there's a group of people who are also into it, too."

Philip Doyle, a Mathematics student in Chartered Accountancy at the University of Waterloo, says that off-campus students should constantly be asking themselves how to connect with on-campus students. "I personally fear that a lot of off-campus students do not get the chance to interact and become friends with students living on campus." As a former Off Campus Don at Waterloo, Mr. Doyle encourages students to constantly be on the look out for opportunities to socialize and make connections with other students. He recommends checking out the notice boards in different buildings to find clubs and events you might want to join.

But for an off-campus student, sometimes it can be harder to find these groups. Basra Bana, a Life Sciences student at the University of Toronto, lives at home. But she wanted to be more than "just another" student lost in a huge university.

"I live with my parents, and it's nice to have a support team at home after a long day of classes. But sometimes I do wish I lived on campus because I'd be in the thick of things, and would hear of campus activities more easily."

Ms. Bana recognizes how strong an impact being involved on campus can have on your student life, especially after she discovered the Muslim Student Association (MSA) on campus at U of T. Joining the MSA provided Ms. Bana with a group to perform sunset prayers with, as well as having a group to break her fast with during Ramadan (Muslim holy month of fasting), when she had evening classes and was 45 minutes from home. "I was able to break my fast comfortably. It would have been more difficult if I hadn't found or got involved with this group."

Ms. Bana still wants to increase her on campus networks, and intends to join the track-and-field team this fall.

"The one thing most first year students are most concerned about is not being able to meet new people. This is especially hard for students who don't live on campus," says Dihn Nguyen, an orientation week Arts Leader and former Off Campus Don at the University of Waterloo. Mr. Nguyen says that off-campus students are constantly asking him how to make friends. "I tell them that the best way to make friends is by getting involved in societies and clubs that pique their interest." He says that's how students will meet others with similar interests and be more likely to form new relationships.

But for those shy, less extroverted students, how do you find and join these clubs?

Mr. Nguyen says that after orientation week, first year students often feel alone. "But they're not alone. There is always someone who can help. Students just need to learn how to ask for help when they need it."

He says students can talk to their professors, upper-year students, and they can also e-mail their academic adviser. The key is initiative.

Taking that first step toward getting involved is up to you. Whether it's joining a club, trying out for a team, or simply reaching out and asking for help.

Here are some more tips on how to get involved in campus life:

- Volunteer for campus events: If you don't have the time to get involved with a club or longer-term commitment, a one-off experience can still help establish a sense of belonging with your university.

- Start a study group: Along with boosting your marks, you might even boost your social life.

- Car pool: This can help connect you with other off-campus students (and save on gas or transit costs).

- Find your campus Coffee Klatch: Informal coffee house get-togethers are the perfect venue for cross-faculty pollination, where students from different programs have an opportunity get to know each other. And Science and Arts students can debate which is harder: An organic chemistry lab or a 1,000-word introspective essay on the Meaning of Self.

- Talk to people in your labs and tutorials: Even if you have to rush off after class, while there, you can help each other out with assignments, and you also might find people to hang out with.

- Organize an event: Take the initiative and organize something like a movie night. Invite students you want to get to know from some of your classes and labs. You might be surprised by the enthusiastic response you'll get.

Special to The Globe and Mail

Jenny Mitchell is a second-year Honours Biomedical Sciences student at the University of Waterloo, who lived off-campus her first year.

GlobeCampus's back-to-school package, including video advice for parents on how to let go, and tips for students on how to settle in