While we are going to college primarily to get a degree, it’s also a great time to get some working experience! Whether that club or activity is in your career field or not, every single experience can give you invaluable skills for the future.
Out-of-class experiences are so vital to the growth of a college student (and their resume). Especially if you don’t have lots of professional work experience, having extracurriculars is a great way to show commitment and dedication to a cause. During my freshman year, I didn’t really know exactly what I wanted to do, so I joined so many activities that applied to all majors and tried them out for fun! Now, I’ve made some of my best friends and have been able to update my resume with some activities that can impress recruiters.
Luckily for us, FSU gives us a great resource to find these extracurriculars! Nole Central is an amazing way to try out some clubs and activities that you like. The following list gives you some ideas for general extracurriculars that will give some tender love and care to your resume.
- student agencies
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As someone who currently serves on the executive board of the Women’s Student Union, I cannot rave enough about joining a student agency. There are seven official identity-based agencies in addition to a bunch of other ones that fall under each of the main agencies. For example, I am a part of the Women’s Student Union and Hispanic-Latinx Student Union. Note: They’re completely free!
A great aspect of these agencies is that they represent so many people (and the fact that they’re free). By representing so many students on campus, they have a lot of impact on the student population and get to plan the best of the best events. The Women’s Student Union has around 15+ events a semester, ranging from come-and-go craft events to informative ones! Agencies also give out free merch that’s always super cute.
I would highly recommend applying for a small leadership position in one of these agencies, such as their committees or leadership institutes. Holding these smaller positions paves a great pathway to executive board leadership in the future!
- dance marathon
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If you’ve been at FSU longer than a semester, you probably know what Dance Marathon is. While I’m not personally a part of it, it’s a great extracurricular to have if you don’t know exactly what you want to do yet.
Dance Marathon shows an immense amount of dedication to your work and compassion for others, all soft skills that a resume could use! It’s also an amazing way to make friends and network for future career-related activities.
- intramural sports
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If you’re looking for an activity that’s less career-based and more fun, intramural sports are the thing for you! Whether you’re into tennis, soccer, or even badminton, there’s a chance to get involved anywhere.
These sports clubs are low-stress yet highly enjoyable and can ease some of the stress from college life! Even for those of you who aren’t that great at sports, you can still join! It’s also a fun and enticing way to get your steps in.
- undergraduate research opportunities program (urop)
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In my opinion, UROP is one of the best things you can do for yourself as an undergraduate at FSU. Especially for those who are going into careers that are very heavy on research, UROP gives you the perfect opportunity to learn how to conduct research and collect data.
I will give a fair warning, though. UROP is a difficult, time-consuming extracurricular, but it is genuinely so worth it. All of my friends who have been a part of it truly loved the experience!
- International programs
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Again, I am a little biased on this one. I’m currently studying abroad in London and absolutely love it! It’s such a unique experience that builds so much character, independence, and practical life skills. It’s on the more expensive side of things, but I truly think the experience is worth the price.
FSU also has special programs in a variety of locations! For example, in London, they have a Theatre Academy program that gives anyone interested in theatre a chance to engage in intensive training abroad. You can also intern abroad (which is what I am doing) in many of their locations!
FSU has so many great opportunities for building skills and making connections. I highly recommend taking advantage of them while you can!
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