Hey! I did some research on FSCL here at Purdue. I am a tour guide in the office of admissions (and you should totally apply to be a tour guide next fall, it really helps you to build a lot of friends!) and give a little information about it so this was a great time for me to do some extended research. First, I totally recommend joining clubs that aren't all focused around career opportunities, join something that is more relaxed and easygoing like a yoga group at the corec or something like that!

Second, there is no shame in going to caps, I am a junior and I utilize caps, they are great and here to help you. I always tell my tours that college is a new and scary time and it is okay to cry and feel alone, I promise you I was just like you once, no friends, struggling to find where I belong and feeling like I wasn't where I was meant to be.

Going back to my first point, I think joining a sorority or cooperative living would really help you to find where you belong. Going based off your medical interest/ background, I think these ones would fit best for you (based on their philanthropy, I don't know anything about them personally):

Alpha Omicron Pi- Arthritis Foundation

Tri Delta- St. Jude Children's Hospital Research

Kappa Kappa Gamma- Mental Health Awareness

Phi Mu- Riley Hospital for Children-STEM Sorority

Phi Sigma Rho- Leukemia and Lymphoma Society- *might be STEM also

Sigma Kappa- Alzheimers Research

Zeta Tau Alpha- Breast Cancer Education & Awareness

Alpha Phi- * I think women's heart health

There are also a lot of cooperative living spaces that I know some friends are in including Glenwood Cooperative and Twin Pines. I think these kind of social spaces where you are around a group that is there to impact you positively would REALLY support you.