When I first started college, I tried to join clubs and organizations around topics that I have a general interest in. However, it was hard for me to really commit since I prioritized my school work. And on top of that, I also spent a lot of time working since I need to pay my way through college. That’s why the social aspect of university life was at the bottom of my list and I never felt the absolute need to dedicate a big portion of my time to it. I eventually learned, though, that balancing academic and social activities is a lot easier when immersing yourself in your passions.
Once a club or volunteer opportunity caught my attention, I would attend informational meetings and be very interested in continuing. But that initial excitement was not usually matched soon after. It wasn’t until I heard about organizations with missions that I was passionate about that I was able to dedicate a lot of energy to them. For example, I started going to meetings for volunteer and health clubs but they were so general that I just didn’t see myself continuing. At one point, I heard about a school organization that does programming and events around education and advancement of women’s health. This is a lot more specific and also something that I have loved educating people on since middle and high school. So the big difference for me here is that this is a lifelong interest that I can see myself doing work in.
I did join a lot of clubs throughout my college career and the ones that I stuck with for years were very influential. Another big reason for sticking around, aside from my overwhelming interest, was that these were spaces that made me feel safe and comfortable. They were sensible to my needs as a student first, and worker or volunteer second. These are the kinds of spaces that make joining them a lot more feasible. Especially for someone like me who would often have at least two jobs while in school. My advice, therefore, is to look for organizations that offer you that respect and time to be social, learn new things, and participate in their programming while not overwhelming you. I also strongly suggest you join clubs and organizations that you can realistically see yourself participating in. Ask yourself what you want to be doing, where you can enjoy yourself, and what values you want to see in those interactive spaces.