In college, it’s recommended you stay involved on campus. Being involved on campus helps with networking and meeting different people through the organizations you join. However, sometimes people can commit to various clubs and organizations that force them to be “overcommitted” while in school. There are a variety of factors that make people feel obligated to be overly committed in college. What Her Campus CAU wants to encourage is that it’s okay to be involved in different organizations; however, we don’t want you to overcommit yourself. In this article, we will be explaining how to balance all of your involvements and commitments that you’ve made on campus.
HOW DO THESE ORGANIZATIONS MAKE ME FEEL
Being in a plethora of organizations can stress you out. When you realize you’re in a bunch of organizations, you have to prioritize them in a certain way. If a certain organization makes you feel good and excited, then it’s worth your time and commitment. You also realize these organizations don’t take away from your personal time. Any organization you’re in should never interfere with time for yourself. Another thing to ask yourself is whether this organization benefits you and how. If it doesn’t benefit you in any way, then you shouldn’t force commitment to it.
IS THIS GOOD FOR ME OR ONLY MY RESUME
Another thing to ask yourself is, “Is this organization only good for the résumé?” Many people join certain organizations not for themselves necessarily, but for the résumé benefits. While it’s good to join orgs that will boost your résumé, if all you want to gain is a résumé boost, then it’s not the org for you. When joining organizations, you should never go in with the mindset “it’s just going to look good on my résumé.” If you know you have no legitimate obligation besides the résumé boost, then it will be a complete waste of time to even stay in the org. Make sure when you join organizations you choose ones that actually spark your interest and align with your goals, rather than ones that just check a box off on your résumé.
ACKNOWLEDGING OVERCOMMITMENT AND SETTING BOUNDARIES
A lot of the time, when we’re in a bunch of organizations, we try to ignore the fact that we’re overcommitted. This is caused by social pressure and feeling obligated to be in so many organizations. It’s important that when you balance your organizations, you set boundaries. Setting your personal boundaries for each of your organizations will help you not be stressed and will help you understand the importance of prioritizing what matters to you. If you have a lot on your plate and you just need a break, communicate that. Communicating with your team that you need space and time for yourself sets healthy boundaries and helps to keep your commitments sustainable.
CONSISTENT REEVALUATIONS
It’s important to do constant check-ins with yourself about your commitments. This helps you figure out the purpose each organization serves you during a current time in your academic life. Sometimes we lose interest in different things we do or realize it doesn’t necessarily benefit us the way we once thought it did. Once you come to the realization that it doesn’t serve any purpose in your life anymore, it’s okay to step away.