Students often struggle to find their place on campus, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The most stressful aspect of college is making friends. Even staying in-state, I found it difficult to meet my people until I started joining extracurriculars.
Whether it’s panhellenic, sports-related or religious, the opportunity to find your people lies in the student organizations you join. Putting equal effort into making friends as you do in classes can lead to amazing outcomes. This includes reducing stress. It can provide a much needed mental break to pursue other things. Most of the time, completing hobbies is therapeutic, offering a way to break free from the stress college can put on you.
Beyond stress relief, clubs also provide a sense of community, threading the line between feeling lonely and feeling at home.
Additionally, it makes meeting like-minded people much easier! While you can find people in your classes, one of the best ways to lean into your major and get hands-on experience is through clubs.
Networking and making connections is another aspect of this. Most clubs have opportunities to build up your resume, connect you with successful industry professionals and offer you ways to gain internships and job opportunities. These experiences can build soft skills employers will appreciate such as teamwork, leadership and public speaking.
Clubs also improve your grades. Studies show that leadership roles and involvement in student orgs often earn higher GPAs. For example, as a journalism major, my involvement with The Daily Cardinal has allowed me to practice my writing skills, giving me a chance to grow alongside, and sometimes ahead of, my coursework. Similarly, there are many clubs on campus that do the same across disciplines. This helps expose students to people from different majors, backgrounds and interests, sparking interest in things they may not have considered before.
You don’t even have to join clubs you were involved in during high school. As you get older, your interests may shift, and the best part of college is that you can explore those changes. While you may not have been artsy or creative in high school, you can try it out in college. Likewise, you can join club sports teams to explore whether it’s something you want to pursue further. College is the rare time in life where trying new things carries little risk. Despite your background or skill level, many clubs welcome beginners and those who are new to fields.
Involvement matters. The way attendance to a class is vital, showing up for clubs and putting effort into your interests does too. By doing all of these things, you build yourself up into a professional. Hands-on learning is the biggest benefit of student involvement. It makes you go from a student to an experienced individual. Even if you’re a transfer, upperclassmen or just changed your mind, involvement can boost your confidence. Always remember: better late than never!
Joining clubs isn’t just beneficial, it’s absolutely essential to your time on campus for it to be successful and worthwhile. Chances are, most people are just as nervous as you are, but taking the first step to joining a club can lead to life changing friendships and experiences that’ll stay with you forever.
Safa Razvi is a sophomore and Opinion editor for The Daily Cardinal. Safa studies journalism. Do you agree that extracurriculars are important for success in college? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com
