As university and college students, none of us are strangers to the mood, busy.
That being said, a huge part of your campus experience happens outside of the classroom, and—after four, five, or however many years here—you’ll want to be able to say you made the most of it. Enter extracurriculars.
The fun part about campus life is the fact that you’ve managed to land yourself in a little world filled with thousands of people, some eerily similar and some delightfully different, with interests. Odds are, if you’re looking in the right places, you might make the acquaintance of someone with interests similar to yours. An opportunity for meaningful and fulfilling friendship, you say? Sign me up.
So, while you’re balancing an insane course load and trying to sweat out that 4.0, eating, sleeping, and maintaining what’s left of your social life, consider…
Why you should get involved:
Do it for the CV! Just kidding… but seriously, experience is and will be a key part of your summer and post-grad job hunt.
Being involved in extracurriculars can provide you with the opportunity to develop hard skills that you can present to future employers. Join a club’s visual team to train under a Photoshop master, or become a part of an on-campus organization’s marketing team and hone your B2B and B2C skills.
Chances for personal growth and soft skill development—leadership, communication, organization, etc.—are just as abundant through on-campus clubs, student research positions, volunteer opportunities, and more!
Whatever path you’re interested in heading down, it’s likely that there’s an opportunity in the campus community that will help you build an arsenal of tools to land an amazing position in The Real World.
The opportunity for relationship-building:
No new friends? Campus involvement is the perfect remedy.
Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals with similar interests is a surefire way to make new friends on campus, as well as broaden your professional network.
Another plus? If you join an extracurricular with a community you really ~vibe~ with, meetings and events will double as your social life. Seriously.
How easy it is to get involved:
The great part about getting involved on campus is how painfree it is—people want you to join their organizations.
Not only are there a myriad of clubs, charities, councils, and more to dive into, but there is also an incredible amount of flexibility when it comes to your role in any of these organizations ranging from being a general member through to heading up the operations.
Stuck on trying to figure out where to start? Western students can check out a list of USC-affiliated clubs here. Another great way to learn about clubs on campus is to do a quick Facebook search—message an organization’s page if you’re interested in joining; they’ll be more than happy to get you started!
P.S. Her Campus Western is recruiting NOW! Fill out your application here. We hope you’ll consider joining our team of wonderful writers (who all happen to be wonderful people, as well!).
P.P.S. USC Clubs general member registration period closes for the 2017-2018 academic year on Wednesday, January 31, 2018. Sign up quickly!
Photo taken by Becca Serena
Related Articles:
- Tips To Get Involved And Volunteer
- 6 Reasons To Join HC Western Ontario
- How You Can Get Involved In With Western’s Art Community And Not Be Scared To Do So
Want more HCW? Check us out on social media!