When you first start college, it can be difficult to find clubs that align with your interests and career goals, so I am here to help you figure out how to get involved when you first arrive at college. First off, I’ll tell you what I’m involved in and my goals, which will help you understand the motivation in being in each of these clubs.
I am a junior majoring in English and minoring in Women’s and Gender Studies. I haven’t figured out what my exact career goal is quite yet, but I am interested in writing, editing, and publishing, and am also interested in women’s nonprofits. At Manhattan College, I am involved in many clubs on campus. I am the president and founder of the Manhattan College Climbing Club, the Assistant Editor for Her Campus, a sister of Sigma Delta Tau, and also a crew member of Love Your Melon. Outside of Manhattan College, I am the founder and chairperson for the Rene Rosario Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is in the name of a close friend of mine from high school who passed away due to leukemia.
All of the clubs I am involved in are not only of interest to me, but directly benefit my career path also. Her Campus allows me to practice my writing and editing skills, which will help me if I go into the publishing field. Love Your Melon and the Rosario Fund work in tandem, as they both work to raise awareness for cancer related causes, and they give me nonprofit experience. Sigma Delta Tau is a sorority, which allows me to be surrounded by powerful women.
A lot of people in college not only join clubs that interest them, and hopefully choose career paths that interest them, too. Hopefully, joining clubs that interest you will also help you achieve some career goals while you’re still in college.
What is even more important than joining clubs that simply further your career goals is to be involved in the clubs you’re in. So here are the steps to joining some clubs:
1. Go to club fairs and follow Instagram pages from clubs.
2. Go to events that interest you.
3. Choose an amount of clubs you can definitely handle– joining too many clubs will make you less involved in all of the clubs.
4. Run for leadership positions! If you don’t get them, then stay involved and go to as many events as you can!
I’d also like to clarify that all of the clubs I am involved in are not only to further my career. Sigma Delta Tau has given me immense opportunities for growth and I’ve met some of my best friends there. Love Your Melon gives me the ability to give back to my community and my superheroes. The Climbing Club allows me to do what I love and make friends with people with common interests. Her Campus gives me a forum to speak my opinions and say what I want to say. The Rosario Fund allows me to work to remember a close friend of mine, who sincerely does not deserve to be forgotten.
I am very lucky that my intended career goal is something that I love and am interested in, and that by participating in activities I enjoy I am also gaining career experience.