If you’re like me, you joined every club possible in high school. This might have been because there weren’t too many options and it could be a way to make new friends. You might have joined to help with university or scholarship applications. Either way, I know my high school self took part in way too many clubs, stretched herself too thin and ultimately vowed never to do it again.
Nonetheless, after three years at Western, I still find it difficult to avoid joining each and every club that slightly interests me. It doesn’t help that Western and the affiliates have such a diverse range of clubs available; joining clubs is one of the few ways to explore your different interests and hobbies in a way your classes may not.
Despite my innate desire to join all the clubs that remotely spark my interest, as a working, full-time student, I’ve learned that it’s not fair of me to join a club if I can’t fully commit myself to it.
I don’t have nearly the kind of free-time I wish I did, so joining a dozen clubs just isn’t a feasible option. Besides this, I have to consider how willing I am to change my availability at work, potentially losing hours (and therefore much needed financial relief) just to attend club meetings and events. More often than not, while most clubs might be interesting and fun, I can’t willingly commit to making the rest of my schedule revolve around them. Of course, this isn’t the case for everybody, but the question is a worthwhile one: how willing are you to change your other plans for a specific club? If the answer is “not likely”, you should reconsider signing up.
I may only be involved in a few clubs on campus, but it’s better that way: I’ve found the ones that truly bring me joy, and I’m able to commit as much time as possible to them. They don’t bring me any additional pressure; I am able to get the most out of them in return. In each club I’m currently involved with, I hold executive roles that I have achieved after multiple years of commitment. In these roles, I’m able to make an impact in a way that wouldn’t be possible by being a casual member stretched between a dozen clubs. It’s not only for my peace of mind: committing to a few clubs over multiple years will surely look better for any post-graduate opportunities I apply to.
This isn’t to say that there is anything wrong with being involved in as many activities as you can manage, both on and off of campus. If you have the time and the ability to commit to extracurriculars, I highly encourage it.
Don’t be afraid to try different clubs during your time at Western. These clubs exist to help you make friends and engage with your interests in a different way than you would get through academics. But, at the same time, you don’t need to feel pressured to commit to clubs that you won’t end up enjoying: they exist for your enjoyment. That’s their whole purpose.
At the end of your time at Western, the clubs that were quality commitments will be more impactful to your experience as an undergraduate student than those on a long list of clubs that you joined just for the sake of joining.
I still find myself in the mindset of my high school self that wants to join everything possible to get a taste for it, and prove I can do it all. But, juggling clubs just for the sake of joining them means nothing if you can’t attend most meetings because they conflict with one another, or you find yourself burnt out from all of your commitments. The absolute worst thing you can do is commit to clubs you only half care about for the sake of a hefty resume, just for your academics to be impacted poorly.
Though the clubs you join should interest you, they should never become a burden. Choosing to focus on a few clubs that you love—whether because you love the community or the way it looks on your resume—will help make sure that both your academic and extracurricular responsibilities can be fulfilled properly.
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