Michigan State University Top Questions

What are the most popular student activities/groups?

Sarah

The most popular activity for students around the campus would most definitely have to be the football games.

Joseph

I believe that professional fraternities/ sororities are fairly popular around here. Other clubs like the ski club and the running club get a lot of attention. Also, the school has activities one the weekends you can attend like movies, craft nights, and even concerts.

Rachel

Sorority clubs

Kaela

The most popular groups on campus are the greek organizations. MSU has many different fraternities and sororities for students to join. Another popular thing to get involved with are the different inter mural sport teams that are offered. All sporting events are also very popular for students to attend.

Kaela

The most popular groups on campus are the greek organizations. MSU has many different fraternities and sororities for students to join. Another popular thing to get involved with are the different inter mural sport teams that are offered. All sporting events are also very popular for students to attend.

Kaela

The most popular groups on campus are the greek organizations. MSU has many different fraternities and sororities for students to join. Another popular thing to get involved with are the different inter mural sport teams that are offered. All sporting events are also very popular for students to attend.

Kevin

Most popular activities/groups include: Fraternities/sororities IM sport teams Study groups Student government And a couple hundred other activities that I haven't even heard of. I am in a fraternity and on two sport teams. They are both awesome and I know like 200 other people that can attest to that. You just cant go wrong here.

Kaitlyn

I wouldn't say that MSU has a group that is the "most popular". There is a group for each individual, and the opportunities are endless! Not only are there clubs and organizations, but MSU also offers intramural sports. I am involved in the Honors College, Tower Guard (an honors society comprised of the top 5{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the sophomore class), NSCS, UNICEF, and Competitive Ballroom Dancing. Even if you don't want to get involved in activities, you can still meet people by simply leaving your dorm room open. A great Saturday night does not have to involve alcohol - East Lansing opens a whole new world to students, and there is an adventure wherever you go. You can head over to Meridian Mall, enjoy sushi, or browse through shops down Grand River - the bus makes everything accessible, all you have to do is enjoy it!

Michael

One of the most popular activity is going to football games and partying on the weekends.

Brian

There's no doubt about it, MSU is a football school. If you don't like football then you'll miss out on a HUGE part of campus life. Student tickets are reasonably priced at under $150 for the season. You can always sell your ticket if you can't make the game. The team has been very good with Dantonio as head coach and it looks like they're only getting better. Tailgating with friends, family, and alumni brings you really close together and gives you a sense of belonging. Besides football MSU has one of the top basketball programs in the nation under coach Izzo. Membership in the Izzone is a coveted prize for the dedicated fans and they have to meet several requirements to get tickets in the lower bowl. The atmosphere is extremely energetic and an absolute blast. Other sports of note are Hockey, Volleyball, and Baseball. The key linking all these sports together is a high energy atmosphere and a passion on the part of the students. I would recommend going to at least one game for each of the big sports. If you aren't a sports person there is still a ton of things to do. Fine arts are a big thing here. The new art museum opens in May '12 and will host millions of dollars worth of art. The Wharton Center has big name productions come through pretty regularly, and the theater department puts on some great shows of their own. There is so much to do here that it's hard to write it all down. There are a ton of restaurants down Grand River that can provide you with whatever you're craving. The MSU dairy store has some of the best ice cream in the country and constantly comes out with new flavors. Other than that there's the on campus dining which is outstanding for the most part. Snyder-Phillips, Brody, and Case hall have new gourmet dining rooms that are highly touted. Of course we do get a lot of partying in as well. It is possible to party 7 days a week, but I'd strongly advise against it. With such a large campus the parties vary greatly in size and style. There are huge frat parties with well over 2,000 people down to small house and apartment parties with a few friends. Halloween is NOT to be missed. It is a huge event at State and one of the best weekends during fall semester. Go all out and dress up, almost everyone participates and has fun. Just be SAFE!

Kristen

Spartan Football! Every student MUST get season tickets. I'd also say study abroad. I formed a ton of friendships on study abroad that I wouldn't trade for the world. It was a great experience and an opportunity I'll only have once in my life. It's great that MSU makes all freshmen live in the dorms because you really learn a lot about yourself and it's a great way to meet people. Yes partying is a huge part of life here, but if you don't like to party you don't have to. No one forces that upon you. There are plenty of activities on campus that don't involve drinking.

Randel

With over 500 student student groups, it's hard to call any specific group popular. Some of the more popular activities, however, include the sporting events. A home football game is almost certain to have more than 70,000 attendees, and our basketball team is a consistent top 10 program which makes for many March Madness related activities.

Erin

There are so manu clubs and student activites for students to choose from. There is always special guests and concerts for to students to enjoy for free or very inexpensive. Everynight there will be somthing going on. People are always out doing somthing. If not, there are plenty of cafes and other places open late at night to help the late night student.

Natalie

When I go to MSU in the fall I plan to be involved. I know from being at orientation that students dont just leave their doors wide open and unlocked beacuse of the risk of things being stolen. I know that football games are a very popular event along with basketball games. If i am awake at 2am on a tuesday I am most likely studying! I would say people party 3 days a week at MSU. Off campus there are many things to do such as clubs and concerts

Lindsey

I won't lie...this town parties. And when they party, they party hard. However, aside from the famous "Welcome Week", this is a very active campus in terms of different clubs/sports that taylor to all kinds of people. On a Saturday afternoon, Spartan stadium is the place to be. Saturday night, assuming the football team hasn't blown it in the 4th quarter, we celebrate on Grand River Avenue all night and cheer on our favorite college :-)

Jessie

BARS BARS BARS or BEER PONG. please make east lansing more lively so we have other options on a saturday night besides harpers.

Matt

One of the most awesome things about MSU is that on almost any night, there's something going on. There might be a play on Monday, an intramural game on Tuesday, a concert on Wednesday, a Frat party on Thursday, a comedy show on Friday, and a football game on Saturday. They keep us busy.

Andrew

IM sports are very popular. I've done football, basketball, hockey, and softball, and they're all fun. Athletic events are really popular. Basketball and Football are immensely popular and so is hockey. All sporting events are so much fun and are also a good way to meet people. The dating scene at MSU is again, what u make it. There are plenty of kids to choose from. People party a lot. Not as much as what people think tho. No one is really getting drunk on a Tuesday night. But on weekends, there is a good amount of partying going on. It's all a lot of fun tho and people just want to have a good time. I partied on most weekends and had a blast. Honestly, u don't end up doing that much off campus. Unless its going to Meijer's or getting something to eat along grand river. MSU is so big that whatever u need or wanna do is on the campus.

Heather

Even though most students are not regular drinkers, there is a lot of drinking that happens on and around campus, especially in the houses and frats north of Grand River Ave. Halloween, the UofM football game, and Cedar Fest, and Welcome Week are the 4 biggest events on campus that involve vast amounts of beer and liquor. Without drinking there is still a lot to do on weekends, but there is a party scene that cannot be ignored.

Alex

Greek life.

Erin

I'm not sure about this subject. While I know that there are many opportunities to go out and get involved on campus. I couldn't quite get out of my shell freshman year.

Aaron

I play on the rugby team at MSU and joining in on activities like that was a great way for me to meet lots of people quickly. I would strongly suggest joining some clubs or teams. just get involved!

Melissa

MSU offers soooo many ways to get involved with school. Extracurricular activites are endless. Living in the dorms freshman year was a blast. The girls on my floor were/are my best friends. There was always someone to eat with, to hang with. People can party as often as they want. The options there are pretty endless too. Partying doesn't necessarily mean drinking, but even a night out on the town is always a fun time.

Robin

The most popular people on campus are definitely people involved in the college a cappella scene. Maybe not really, but some of them are. I'm involved in one of these groups and it's a great way to get exposed to a lot of different people, and have a lot of fun doing it. It's also a good way to NOT sit around in your dorm room doing nothing. You don't have to be in a singing group though, or a sports team (although they definitely get a lot of attention too). There are a lot of different groups that are active on campus. You can do volunteering, or you can play IM sports with other teams from MSU (because we have enough people to do that). You can organize the student government in your hall (or for the entire campus if you're really ambitious). You can also be a part of the UAB (University Activities Board) and help plan the cool events (rock shows, free movies, guest speakers, campus-wide parties during welcome week) that go on. Frats and sororities are as important as you choose to make them. They are really popular and they throw great parties, but the more people out of frats than in them, and it's not too hard to find another place to make really tight friends and have fun. It's also important to know that the north side of campus runs along Grand River Ave which has just about everything you could need for a socail scene. Bars, restaurants, Ice Cream Stores, Taco Bell (YES!), Insomnia Cookie, there are plenty of cool places to go. There's also a lot of good stores to get clothes, books, and MSU gear. A couple of miles down Grand River (literally, only a couple) is the Meridian Mall. It's a pretty decent size mall, and a lot of kids from campus like to hang out there. So it's got a pretty good scene.

Antonio

There are plenty of organizations and groups to join. The dating scene is also very good, whether you are looking for a "hook up" or a regular bf/gf.

Jesse

UAB organizes various events such as PHOTO SCAVANGER HUNT, GHOST HUNT, Comedy shows, Spartan Idol.

Cristian

IM teams are a fun way to keep in shape and meet people. fraternities and sororities are pretty much there if you want them, but if you don't they're avoidable. on a given weekend, you could... -go to a hall event (they're fun sometimes) -"chill with your bros and play some gamecube" (no really, that's what i did about 60{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the time" -walk around grand river and buy food -go to the cafeteria -start a band i met most of my friends because they either lived on my floor or knew people who did. also some people in my classes, and some people on my teams.

Stephany

MSU provides a lot of clubs and organizations. Unlike many universities, I feel like people at MSU are more invovled with these clubs and actually are a part of them. Dorms are a great community and a great way to meet close friends. Doors are always left opened, and especially during freshman year, you always see people roaming the halls trying to meet other people. There are several traditions at MSU, ranging from protecting Sparty to the whole school screaming midnight before the first final. MSU has a very strong community, and everyone has so much school spirit that it makes you proud to be a part of it.

Robin

Many people are very friendly and open. Greek life is not very large around campus so it is not a big deal if you are not in a house. My closest friends are from my classes and my roommate from my freshman year. On a day where you do not want to drink, there are always clubs (fashion, computer, packaging, etc.), free movies, free bowling on Thurs. nights at the Union, and tons of other things to do. Do not be afraid to not drink at MSU.

Alex

Students generally leave their dorms open if they want company, or if it is hot within their rooms. People drop into dorms quite frequently, and people learn the names of other people very quickly. Even if you do not leave your dorm open, however, people still make an effort to learn your name and learn something about you.

Ashley

MSU's size helps give it lots of activities and that gives you a chance to have a great social life. Every resident hall has something going on, all the time. Guest speakers are on campus for lots of reasons- books, majors, or just because. The Wharton Theatre always has some kind of play or something going on. There are parties almost everynight, either at someone's house, apartment, frat. or sorority. There's also great athletic events and gyms to keep in shape and entertained. Even the grassy areas between buildings and sidewalks offer a spot to lay out and tan or play some frisbee (which is big on campus).

Dave

Dorms can be anywhere from party halls to study halls. It really depends on what kind of people you're living with. There's plenty to do besides drink, but the majority of the population drinks. It's just part of the culture at MSU, no one really forces it on anyone. At least I've never felt pressured or anything.

Ainsley

Tons of clubs/activities/events. You can be busy every day if you just leave your dorm and find an event.

Carson

It is an incredibley good idea to get involved in clubs and organizations at MSU. It's an easy way to meet people outside of your dorm . It keeps you involved in the school and in the community. Buying football tickets is a good idea as well. Football is an important sport at MSU and even if you don't enjoy the sport the games are fun. Everyone cheers and just has fun.

Deb

Can't speak personally for the activities and social life there because I commute from Flint. However, I can tell you that my niece left here and immediately became immersed in activities and friendships that have remained throughout her four years there. In fact, she has chosen to attend a fifth year before she moves on to medical school. She absolutely loves MSU and has made some important and lasting friendships with some very great people.

Alexis

I was on a Coed floor my freshman year and I absolutely loved it, everyone left their door open and we mingled quickly and became a tight nit group. We went out together and ate together and attended classes together when you had the same ones of course. People always were stopping by each others rooms on the way to their own and always hanging out. Sororities and Fraternities have their own life, I did not become a member but i had plenty of friends who were and who loved it. As I got older, generally I avoided the frat parties which seemed to be full of a crowd i was less then enthusiastic of hanging out with.

Ryan

For the first few weeks EVERYONE has their doors open in the dorms. Then after that a lot of people leave their doors open, if not open then many are just unlocked. By then everyone tends to know a lot of people and they don't need them to have their door open to go talk to them. The athletic events are amazing. Football tix fa sho. & basketball too. People party the most thurs, fri & saturday but theres always those random nights when some people will get together and drink. Definitely on HUGE college holidays (St. Patty's & Halloween) - those weeks are intense. Or during final week - if you and a few friends all have a day you dont have an exam or maybe you finish early. The Greek life seems to be declining and although I'm not actually in a frat I'm really considering it for next year. my roommate was in a frat and it seemed awesome, a lot of work but awesome. He met a ton of people and always had a ton of fun stories. If you aren't into drinking theres still a lot of stuff you can do, especially on the weekends. The UAB and the other student organizations are constantly having activities for people (obviously they don't include alcohol) and I attended some of them - they actually were pretty cool. We also have "campus cinema" where they play new movies in a movie theater style - its cool .. & free.

Jesse

Dorms are great as a freshman because if you leave your door open, and make a point of meeting people on your floor, you will have lifelong friends. I know many people that stayed with their freshman roommate throughout undergrad. Some people lived on floors that were mostly upper classmen and didn't have such a great experience. But you can always just walk to a different floor and meet people with their doors open. Parties here start on Wednesday and Thursday and last until Sunday morning. It is physically exhausting and mentally dangerous to party as much as many students here do. For those who party once in a while, this is a great place because your options are endless. While you probably hear about frat parties, they're not what they are cracked up to be and usually not the place to be.

Courtney

Because MSU has such a large student body, if you want to be social, there is definitely the option. On the other hand, if you are someone who would much rather stay in and study and relax with a movie, there are plenty of kids there with those same ideas. Joining the Greek system is a great way to make the campus seem smaller and a way to meet people that you may have never had contact with. If Greek life is not for you, there are many other groups on campus that are always advertised in the dorms, in college buildings, and libraries that you can join. The dorms are by far the best way to meet people. All dorms are different on campus in comparison of what you are looking for. Some dorms are "party" dorms, others are considered more quiet. There truly is "something for everybody".

Scott

The most popular and largest groups would be the football and basketball teams. Howerver, as you can imagine, with 45000 kids from all over the world, there are clubs for any sport you can imagine. Some of the largest organizations are the religious organizations who have been for the most part very tolerant of someone like myself with a complete lack of spirituality. My favorite group is not an official organization, but an offshoot of SCF (spartan christian fellowship) who play ultimate frisbee twice a week. It is just a group that likes to have fun adn run around chasing a disc. Most people like to leave their doors open, but it really varies from community to community. It depends a lot on the demographic of students on the floor, and how close people get during welcome week and the early parts of the semester. Athletic events are wildly popular. On a saturday afternoon there are people spilling out of cars and dorms all over the place heading for spartan stadium. Guest speakers and meetings are posted in the cafeterias andon bulliten boards, along with theaer and comedy performances in the Wharton center. Outside of that, there are movies every weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights) that have just gotten out of the theatres but are not yet on DVD. These are held in lecture halls and are free (FREE) to students in the dorms. 45000 people with a pretty even split from all over the world results in lots of options for either gender. There are so many places to go, from restaurants to movies to sporting events that anybody with an ounce of creativity can come up with a nice and inexpesive outing with their significant (or prospective significant) other. I met my closest friends jsut by chance through the wonderous sport of frisbee. I was walking back from class one day after taking a particularly awful test when I saw a disc flying through the air and asked if I could play with them. It was the start of friendships that will most liktely last for many years, and it is a bit of a microchasm of my experience at MSU. Im usually not awake at 2AM. If I am, I'm likely procrastinating, or playing frisbee with glowsticks and a luminescent frisbee (my favorite pasttime). There are all kinds of traditions at MSU. I guess they just develop after a university has been around for so long. Football season and tailgating come to mind, as well as midnight scream during exam week (I think the name is pretty self explanatory), as well as Spartywatch during the night before the UM game just to name a couple. People party a lot, way too much in my opinion. If that is your scene (it is not mine) then you are going to have to get that information elsewhere, but I hear its not a difficult thing to find. Just keep in mind there are other things to do. Fraternities and Sororities play a large part in some students college experience. Personally I am a bit removed from that part of the university, but these organizations do a lot of things such as community service that are admirable, even if they often get a reputation as just hosting lots of parties. Last weekend I went to Shenandoah National Park to hike on the Appalachin trail. I got an internship here in Virginia for the summer thanks to some professors at MSU, so I am not going to be at MSU until the fall. However, a typical fall or spring weekend for me would be a saturday of Mountain biking, probably at Pickney state park ~1 hour away, followed by an afternoon of watching football at Spartan Stadium or playing Ultimate depending on the season, followed by a sunday of more Ultimate, doing laundry, and then watching a movie in one of the lecture halls. On Saturday nights I am usually pretty exhausted from the day. I am very outdoorsy, so I am usually beat by the time the sun goes down. However, I would say the most common thing that people do besides drinking on saturday nights is go watch movies. There are usually 3 choices each weekend every night at 2 times around campus. There are also periodic concerts hosted by the residence hall association. It is not hard to find activities provided you aree willing to look. I do a lot of biking off campus, as well as play a lot of frisbee and hang out with friends who live of campus. When I have family around, I escape the dorm food (which isn't bad, just a little monotonous) and go to one of the restaurants around the area such as Old Chigcago or Iggy's Cafe.

Elizabeth

The football and basketball games are so much fun! I would definitely recommend buying tickets. Those also are great ways to meet people. The weekends are full of parties, both alcoholic and non. It is easy to have a great time even without partaking in the parties that have made MSU well-known. But if you are looking for a great party, MSU is the place for that too. We are famous for our parties, Thursday through Sunday, but we buckle down during the week and succeed academically too.

Stephanie

I would not say there is any "popular" group or activity at MSU. There are too many to choose from! I am in the Student Michigan Education Association which is for people interested in becoming teachers. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet people interested in the same things as you are and to network. We do fun activities together, fundraisers, community service, etc. It's a lot of fun. I am also in Sigma Alpha Sorority. We are a professional sorority and we are not in the Greek system. We comprised primarily of people in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, but not exclusively (I'm not it CANR!). We do fundraising, social events, community service, professional events, etc. It is a great way to meet new people and make friends. I love it! You can leave your door open in the dorms, and I recommend it, but only if you are in your room. Thefts do occur, so make sure your stuff is secure. Athletic events are very popular, especially football and basketball. But I personally enjoy the hockey games. Definitely buy football tickets as a freshman. I met my closest friends in my sorority, in classes, and from high school. If I am awake at 2am on a Tuesday I am probably studying or hanging out with friends. Welcome week is always fun at MSU (it's the week before classes officially start). If you are going to party, be careful and safe. There are cops all over: in cars, motorcycles, on bicycles, and on foot. Do not carry anything with or on you if you are underage. Do not make a scene or do anything out of the ordinary. I'm not going to lie, you could probably find someone partying every day of the week. BUT, many people do not party that often at all. It depends on what you want to get yourself into, there is no pressure to party. Fraternities and sororities are not that important although they are popular. The ones in the Greek system are more expensive than the ones that are not. There are certain frats and sororities that do have a bad rap, so ask questions before joining of people who are not in them.

Megan

I am involved in a sorority, but I know within my sorority, girls are involved in all sorts of other campus activities. We are lucky enough to have social and philanthropic events planned for us to be involved in, whether it be on or off campus. The dorm I lived in as a freshman, was unfortunately for me, an upperclassmen dorm. This resulted to not many doors left open since upperclassmen already have their set group of friends and aren't really looking to find more. But I do know that in freshmen dorms, such as Brody or South Complex, doors are always left open as a chance to meet new people. Social life at MSU varies due to whatever you choose to do. You can party every weekend at the bars or a house party, study on a Friday night or just choose to relax and hang out in the dorms with your friends. That is what makes MSU so great, people don't judge you for what you want to do and there are always people there willing to join you in whatever you choose to do.

Matt

University sporting events are always a great time

Lindsay

People party a lot at MSU. There are a lot of house parties and frat/sorority parties. Going to the bars is also a very popular thing to do.

Casey

We have one of the largest Greek organizations in the country. Fraternity and sorority parties are very popular, and most people are in one, but if not go to them. Partying wed-sun is not uncommon, but it all depends on the time of the year. There are A LOT of law enforcement around, and lots of MIP's are given out. Be careful if you are underage and walking around drinking, you will get caught eventually. If you are over 21, don't be stupid, and you should be fine. If you don't drink, or like that kind of party scene, there are a lot of activites every night of the week. One of my favorites is "craft night" at the union. You can go and make everything from spirit bandanas for homecoming, to valentines day cards. Its a fun way to relax and have fun. Bowling and billiards is also inexpensive and always available right at the union.

Jessica

I never lived in the dorms here so i can't speak on that. I can say there are lots of guest lecturers/speakers brought to the school. Many artists, and performers. The Wharton Center offers a great variety of plays and events. Parties: There are a lot of them. There is a strong greek presence but plenty to do if thats no your scene. The school offers a variety of alternative events as well.

Erin

There is ALWAYS something to do on campus (including sober activities). Every Monday the cafeteria puts these weekly calenders on the tables. They list the weeks activities, the free movies being shown that weekend, information about certain services offered on campus, etc. UAB, SAF, and RHA put on a lot of free activities for students, including a hayride in the fall, concerts, seminars/talks, etc. You rarely get bored if you venture out and participate.

chelsea

Partying. Friends. Yes, people leave their dorm rooms open. Figure out right away if your RA is cool or not so you don't get caught doing stupid things. For all you drug users..cops come in with dogs sometimes so I suggest not to be dealing out of your room or anything like that. If you don't drink (which is completely fine..I had friends that came to parties with me who didn't drink and they had fun) every weekend they have practically brand new movies showing at Wells Hall. You'll hear about it.

Michael

I am not sure since I do not go here.