Last week, the club took over the walkways in front of the dining hall, with tables lined up, people cheering at you to join, and music blasting, instead don’t you forget about the mountains of free candy. If you walked through it all, you probably felt a bit overstimulated, but you should be excited! Afterall, this is the secret to it all: joining clubs at Skidmore will help you find a community you didn’t even know existed.
Clubs are more than just extracurriculars, they’re also mini communities to connect with. They give you a place to meet people outside of your classes, dorms, and friends, while all having the same common interests.
But why should you listen to me? Well, because I have experienced the positive benefits of being in two clubs! Not only am I a part of HerCampus, but I’m also part of the Skidmore Democrats. They definitely differ in interests, but they have both allowed me to take part in a new community.
In Skid Dems, we have monthly meetings to discuss current events, will have guest speakers come, and voter drives. Beyond this, you get to connect with people who share the same political views and passions with you. Not only are you discussing politics, but being in a club also teaches you how to organize, lead, and collaborate. Even if politics isn’t your future, you still gain skills that can help you with your future.
For Her Campus, writing for the life section (or any section) isn’t just about writing content, but writing about what you’re passionate about. You get to build confidence in your writing and voice, and develop skills that can carry into media, marketing, publishing, and any career in the media or communications. Plus, you get to see your work published (and can even add this to your linkedin).
In addition to all this, clubs can help balance out your academics with a side of some fun that can also build your resume. They can help give structure to your week, bring you into new friend groups, and help transform something that seems scary, into something welcoming and a great experience.
So, if you signed up for a few email lists at the club fair, don’t ignore them! Show up and try something new. You never know what might come of it.