September Family Newsletter: Getting involved at Humboldt State

September 2018

Finding a Community

Now that your student is settling in at Humboldt State, it’s a good time to think about ways they can get involved with the community outside the classroom.

If you’re taking the Forever Humboldt Families 101 online class, you’ll recognize that this is the theme of this week’s lesson. (You’ll find the online class here, if you haven’t started it yet.)

It’s never too early for your student to get involved, whether it’s with social or cultural groups, clubs, recreational activities, community service, or something else. Studies have shown that students make more friends, become closer to faculty, and improve their GPA and overall academic experience by joining others in extracurricular activities.

Many students have found their education and experience enriched by working with Youth Education Services (Y.E.S.). Celebrating its 50th anniversary this fall, Y.E.S. pairs students with community projects that each year benefit 1,500 children and adults, as well as organizations and schools. Projects range from tutoring elementary age children and working with incarcerated youth, to visiting seniors and families experiencing homelessness.

The programs, which are all student-run, allow students to explore their interests while gaining real world experience, helping their community, and making social connections that can help their careers.

Watch student leaders talk about their experience with Y.E.S.

Follow this link for more information and to get in touch with Y.E.S.

Women’s Self-defense

HSU is offering a free self-defense class for women 18 years and older on Thursday, Oct. 4. There is no need to pre-register. HSU’s Student Affairs and University Police Department responded to family requests for these types of classes. More information available here.

Move-in Moments

New students arrived on campus in mid-August to start the next chapter of their lives. Revisit the tears and excitement in our move-in day video and photos.

Learn with Your Student

Forever Humboldt Families 101 is a free, online course designed for new families to learn how to support their student while at HSU. As part of the course, you'll get a free book for you and a Humboldt State sweatshirt for your student when you finish! Start learning today.

Get Around

There are lots of reasons for your student not to bring a car to campus. Parking is slim, gas is expensive, and maintenance is costly.

But part of the joy of attending Humboldt State is our local communities and natural scenery. Thankfully, there are lots of alternative transportation options for your student to explore the surrounding area (and get to class, if they live off campus).

Students have unlimited access to any city or county bus. All they need is their student ID. These buses run daily around Arcata, and as far north as Trinidad and south to Garberville.

Students can also rent bikes by the hour with Zagster. The program is affordable, and there are two Zagster stations on campus, as well as others in downtown Arcata, a five-minute bike ride away.

Zipcar is a car sharing program with low hourly and daily rates that include gas and insurance. Rent a Zipcar for errands, exploring the North Coast, or heading out of town on a trip.

Students can look for rides using Zimride, a carpooling network that connects drivers with passengers. Students use this for commuting, as well as trips home for the holidays. Many families also use the HSU Family Network to connect with others in their area for rideshares and other travel conveniences. Log on to find other HSU family members in your area.

See details and more alternative transportation options online.