At the beginning of the year, many of us arrive with plans to become a part of a plethora of things on campus. We stroll down the spine at the Involvement Fair and write down our name for almost every group, wanting to be the next big super-student who is seemingly a part of everything. (theodysseyonline)
A few weeks pass, and you find people saying, “Oh yeah, I’m technically a part of that.” I would like to point out writing your name down on a sheet of paper does not make you a part of anything.
First, to actually be involved in a club, one must be active – attending meetings, volunteering to help out when needed, and keeping up-to-date with what’s going on. You do not have to be a club officer running around trying to organize everything, but simply someone who is interested in advancing the club and its purpose on your campus.
The benefits of doing all this? They’re quite endless really, depending on the effort you put in and what you plan to get out of it.
Getting involved in student-run clubs and organizations is an opportunity for resume-building, networking, forming community and friendships, being a leader in your school and learning about different areas you’re interested in outside of general coursework.(tumblr)
For example, I showed up at the first meeting of PRSSA, a public relations society with a chapter at Cal Lutheran, with barely a clue of what public relations was. Now I am the vice president of the club, and have received numerous learning and networking opportunities even though public relations is not my area of study. I also do numerous things for Her Campus because I fell in love with the group and its awesome members, and it allows me to tell you my own story right now.
If you are interested in applying for grad school, or even showing an employer, especially for an internship, what you did in college and how you set yourself apart, these are the things that will make a difference.
So when you have a chance, give clubbing a try.(tumblr)