For some of us, going to college is one of the greatest achievements of our lives. Therefore, we want to enjoy those 4–or more–years as much as we can. Yes, taking interesting classes (have you heard there’s a Macramé class?) and going to La Beckett and El 8 on Thursdays are part of that experience. There’s also something that should be key in every collegiette’s college experience and that is: joining a Student Organization. We understand that being part of a team scares the heck out of some people, but joining something pushes us to break that comfort zone. Personally, I was part of a few of our campus’ organizations, and they truly were the best part of my college experience. When choosing what to become a part of, it is important to have a few things in mind:
Do your research
Our campus has more than 40+ student organizations from very different academic backgrounds. Sports clubs are also organizations, and they don’t technically have anything to do with anything academic. It’s important for you to look up organizations that you can join, spark your interest, and then begin narrowing down your list.
Choose well
Don’t join something just to join it, choose something you will enjoy! There’s nothing worse than joining an organization because “someone recommended it” or “my friend made me” and then noticing you don’t like it at all. If something catches your eye, but you aren’t sure, then ask someone from the organization, attend a meeting, or see them in action before making a decision.
Have fun
Joining some student organizations will mean having to work a bit more on that extracurricular. For example, here at Her Campus UPR, we have lots of fun and meet a lot of people. At the end of the day, we’re a magazine; therefore, we work hard to bring good, relatable content to every member of the UPR-RP community. Don’t join something and simply take advantage of what they do for you, participate in the planning process and enjoy the company of people who share your interests!
Relate that to your major
Some people are part of random student organizations that have nothing to do with their major. That’s great! The experience is preparing you to go out into the ‘real world’ with a diverse mind and diverse skills sets. Even though the organization you might be a part of doesn’t have anything to do with your major, you can always relate back to it. Focus on the soft skills that being in the organization has taught you or the ones that it can teach and use that to your advantage.
Getting yourself involved not only helps you be more open and meet new people, it also helps you connect with the right kind of people. You never know if the person beside you will be your first point of contact for a job or can help you land a project you’ve been after. We encourage you to check out what our school has to offer (trust us, there’s a lot of options) and dare yourself to step out of your box. You won’t regret it!