OCSA: Where Off-Campus Students Get Their Groove On

A few short months ago, I had the opportunity to stop by a Rutgers Off-Campus Students' Association program to see what the organization is all about. As an on-campus resident living on Busch campus, I often walked passed the OCSA office/lounge in the Busch Campus Center, but never found any impulse or reason to go inside. One day, a friend of mine named Eric advertised a masquerade themed happy hour program to me in class. A few hours later, I found myself in the middle of a hopping OCSA shindig, with tropical fruity beverages and homemade masks galore!

Good times in the OCSA lounge. Check it out in the Busch Campus Center!

As time rolled by it became clearer and clearer how useful this organization is for creating a sense of community among off-campus students. As a student in on-campus housing, I've always taken for granted the people that I'm fortunate enough to constantly have around me. What the OCSA provides is a consistent group of friendly faces for those of us who don't necessarily have a residence hall to give us that.
As many of us in residence halls know, the Res Life staff does a fantastic job organizing and producing programs and events to make the college experience more enjoyable. The OCSA similarly puts on programs like the happy hour masquerade to give off-campus students an opportunity to have fun and bond with other commuters, outside of the classroom.

For off-campus students, the college experience need not only be an academic one. As I witnessed first hand, the community of off-campus students represented in the OCSA is one of the closest knit and friendly communities I have ever encountered here on campus. No matter who you are or what your situation may be, Rutgers has something more to offer you than just an education.

Students hard at work on their masks.

I made one too!

High school students planning on becoming commuters will likely feel at least some anxiety about college. Coming from a situation in high school where your surroundings are mostly fixed and consistent, the size of the university and its population can surely be daunting. As orientation leaders, one of our main goals is to assuage those fears and anxieties so that all students, both on and off-campus, are excited and comfortable with becoming Rutgers students. The Off Campus Students' Association is just one of many resources the university offers us to help achieve this goal.

As we begin the process of orienting potential commuters, it is our responsibility to let these students know that you don't have to live on campus to make friends and have a great time in college. College is not defined by where you keep your belongings, but rather by the people you meet and the fun memories you create together. The OCSA is an outlet for commuter students to build those friendships, and make those memories that will last a lifetime. I can't wait to spread the good word this summer about this great organization and I urge all of my fellow orientation leaders to do the same. And in conclusion, as I've personally experienced, the OCSA is fun for on-campus students too!

For more information about the OCSA, check out their facebook page. It's constantly being updated with news about the latest OCSA sponsored events and business. ~http://www.facebook.com/RUOCSA

Go Orange Team~ Stewart