Despite what the title of this article may suggest, this is not a reminder or plea to join clubs in college to boost up your resume. My best advice is to mindfully join clubs or take on new projects. They should not feel forced. They should also feel fun and have value for you. Joining a club just to add something else to your resume does not end well and will inevitably add to your burnout.
My favorite club to tell people about is me and my friend’s radio show in the Buzz, our college radio station. Almost every Friday night, we spend 45 to an hour recording a live show with a variety of topics: free will, new music, the afterlife, celebrity gossip and more. It is one of the highlights of my, and my parents’, weeks. Our families love to tune in and hear what is happening in our day-to-day college lives. While this club gives me internship hours, I would work on the Buzz regardless because it is so much fun to have public debriefs with my friends. If you or your friends have ever thought about starting a podcast, join your college radio station.
In addition, I am a part of our chapter of College Democrats. I have always been interested in politics and have recently added a political science minor. This is another great example of a club adding a lot of value to my life but also being enjoyable. We do talks on women’s representation, bipartisanship and voting. We also do fun trivia, eat good snacks, and are able to joke around with each other while planning events. I always feel better when I leave a College Democrats meeting than when I initially came.
I promise you, there is a club that can fit a certain niche of yours. Two of my best friends are on the dance team on campus. That team is a prime example of what it means to be family and love each other. In addition to being friends, they work really hard to put on two dance productions each academic year. Working together towards a final project is a really fulfilling feeling and is great to present to their peers.
This is your sign to join a new club. Not one that everyone else is doing so you feel like you HAVE to do it. Don’t stay in a club that you do not truly enjoy. The four years go by so quickly and I do not want to waste my time not working on things that do not have value or fulfillment.