By Kate Zydor
Opinions Editor
At the start of my college journey, I made it my mission to be as involved as possible in our campus community. I attended the club fair and began narrowing down the many student organizations I was interested in joining, but as someone who was not as heavily involved in high school compared to college, making these decisions was difficult.
I eventually decided on two that aligned with my passions for writing and leadership: The Signal and Student Government, both of which have provided me with an irreplaceable sense of community.
Through my roles in both of these organizations, I have engaged in fulfilling work and formed invaluable relationships that continue to develop my character and individual strengths daily. With all transparency, I don’t believe I would love the College as much as I do now without the opportunities and experiences that these organizations have offered.
This is not to say you cannot have a successful college experience if you don’t join student organizations. However, I believe it becomes exponentially harder to feel personally connected to the college of your choice without doing so.
From conversations I’ve had with friends, those who did not get involved in student life seem to struggle with finding their sense of belonging at the College. Although they are doing well academically and have made friends, they feel as though something is keeping them from truly loving their experience.
Being involved doesn’t just mean showing up to meetings once a week; it’s about making your mark on campus in whatever way that may be: community service, advocacy work, cultural awareness – the list goes on and on. In finding what you’re passionate about outside of your academic major, you not only enrich your own college experience but also the experiences of others.
Student organizations provide you with valuable skills that cannot necessarily be learned from sitting in a classroom. They strengthen your teamwork abilities, self-confidence, time management skills and, most importantly, teach you about yourself and your interests. You never know if you’ll enjoy something if you don’t let yourself gain the experience.
Being comfortable working in groups and collaborating on projects designed to better an organization or institution is a long-lasting asset and one that will be equally as valuable in your chosen career as it is in college. Student organizations allow you to connect with people of all backgrounds and lived experiences, each person bringing their unique perspective to the table. With this, learning to express your own opinions and troubleshoot problems with people of differing viewpoints is not just an academic or professional skill, but a life skill.
College is the place to branch out and explore who you are and the kinds of people you want to surround yourself with. By not taking advantage of the organizations offered on campus, you limit your opportunities to expand your social circle and form impactful connections. Many of my best friends are people that I met just last semester through the clubs that I’m involved in.
Student organizations also teach you the importance of time management as you are forced to learn how to balance your club responsibilities with your academics. This is undoubtedly challenging at times, but I believe that the reward outweighs the stress.
The person I was before my freshman year of college is not the same person I am now, and I credit much of this growth to my involvement on campus. Not once in my life did I believe I would run in a college election, let alone win, but because I decided to devote my time to putting myself out there, I am all the more independent and perseverant.
If you’re considering getting involved on campus, do it. Invest in yourself and your experience. You never know what you’ll be able to accomplish.
