Some student groups on campus are more than 100 years old, but Emily Davis, a first-year student last year, decided to start a new one.

There are more than 400 student groups at the University. You can meet your spiritual needs by joining one of 54 religious affiliated groups, help Habitat for Humanity or just relax in your favorite pair of comfy pants with the Sweatpant Club.

And there is always the option of starting a new group.

Davis said one of the reasons she started the Knitting Club was to meet new people.

Because she did not start the group until March, it was difficult to attract members.

She offers this advice to those looking to create a group: Start the group early and advertise.

Though Davis’ group had a hard time attracting members, she said she’s going to give it another try next year.

As a first-year student, Briana Kennedy-Coker founded the L.A. Hip-Hop Dance group. She said she started her group out of a love for dancing. She said hip-hop is not that popular in the Twin Cities, but she said others like her were looking for others who shared an interest in hip-hop dancing.

Her advice for first-time group creators is “be organized and have a focus – a main goal.”

To register a student group in the fall, turn in an application by Oct. 31 to the Student Activities Office on the first floor of Coffman Union. Registration forms can be found on the organization’s Web site at www.sao.umn.edu or in the group’s offices.

It takes $15 and two other students willing to serve as officers to register a group.

As a registered student group an organization is eligible for benefits such as free e-mail and a University-hosted Web address. Registered groups can also reserve meeting rooms on campus and apply for Student Activities Office grants.

Jens Manuel Krogstad covers Student Life and welcomes comments at [email protected]