If you look at the next few years of your life as being only about test scores, discussion posts and midterms, you are not going to grow as a scholar or as a person. That mindset is also not all that it takes to get employment in many fields, despite what educators may have told you to the contrary. A 4.0 is just a number if not coupled with experience and interest. USA Today says, “to get your resume in that ‘yes’ pile, get involved on campus right away!” Organizations are a great way of taking a break from stress and course work while still doing something important, relevant, and fun.
I am a part of four organizations, one of which I am on the executive board, two of which I try to be actively involved in, and one in which I change my mind about every week. I have never had such a fulfilling educational experience. At the collegiate level, clubs and organizations are not just extra curricular activities to fill time, they are part of a larger experience. They are supplemental learning material and windows of opportunity rolled into a place you can feel safe and make friends.
Aside from the personal gains, dedication to an organization is a great resume builder, and many employers say high involvement on campus is just as important as that sought after 4.0. There are clubs on campus not just for interests but also majors, which look especially appealing on a resumé. For example, the SEFE Club caters to Secondary Education majors, while the Exercise Science Society will best serve the major that shares its name.
If you want to do something simple to get involved, join a club. Go to an interesting meeting, especially if it involves something you are passionate about. There is no harm in going to a meeting or putting your name on an email list and you cannot explore too many facets of the university.
The reason you meet your life long friends at college is not because suddenly everyone is nice and the people you were not fond of in high school do not exist, it is because you can choose with whom you want to spend your time. You can choose to surround yourself with people who care about the ideas that excite you, who believe in the same ideologies as you, or are passionate about the same social issues that you feel strongly about.
College is an experience not a grade, and the more you explore that idea, the more fulfilling your time here will be.
