Why You Should Get Involved On Campus! (Benefits of Joining a Club in College)

Joining things on campus changed my life as a college student. The benefits of joining a club in college are endless and I honestly wouldn’t have had as much fun, or as many new experiences if I didn’t get involved. So, in this post, I want to get into why YOU should get involved on campus as soon as possible. Getting involved on campus is something I will never regret. So I hope I can convince you of these benefits of joining a club in college!

Putting yourself out there can be intimidating, but the payoff is worth more than you think. With the wide variety of things to join at your school, I know you will find something that makes your college experience an unforgettable time.

Benefits of Joining A Club In College

You will make amazing friends

The first, and most important to me at the time is making friends. Making friends can be difficult. I met the majority of my friends through joining things on campus. It is literally the best way to meet people! You’re joining things that you already know the other people involved in it are interested in. Which makes it 10 times easier to start a conversation and create meaningful relationships.

The two closest people to me include someone I met in the Student Alumni Association and a leadership program through which we traveled abroad together. Looking back, if I didn’t put myself out there, I wouldn’t have met some of the best friends I have ever had in my life.

I’ve also met some awesome people through my classes but I still believe my strongest friendships are from the clubs I got involved with. Don’t miss out on chances to meet people who are interested in things you are interested in!

If you are a commuter, I know making friends may seem more challenging. I will have a post soon about how to get involved on campus and how it is different, but still very possible to make friends in college as a commuting student.

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There are So Many Options

One of my favorite things about college is that everyone is so different and there’s always a place for you. You don’t necessarily have to join something that is leadership-based or academic-based like I did for some of my involvement. You can join things that you do as hobbies.

When my older sister was a college student, she LOVED anime. Who am I kidding, she still LOVES anime! Lucky her, there was an anime club on campus where they literally just bonded over different anime and watched the shows together!

I joined a running group, which was short-lived for me because I was so busy, but the times I did participate, I enjoyed myself. Other things you can join include a sorority/fraternity, an organization within your major, an environmental club, a music club, clubs that are for students who want a particular job after graduating, and SO much more.

You can create your own

Now let’s say, none of the suggested clubs above grabbed your attention. Well, you can make your own group! Definitely consider creating your own thing on campus if you can’t find an interesting thing to join that is already existing on campus. There’s a good chance other students are interested and will be more than happy to join your club/organization.

One of my good friends created a conference for minority high school students who want to get involved in the health field. This was a brand new idea to our campus and now she is graduated and students still run this thing that she created! Coming together as minority students (from different races, genders, income levels) was something she wanted to make possible. Sometimes, being a part of something where you share similar experiences can create strong bonds that will last a very long time.

Resume Builder

C’mon, let’s be real. A big part of going to college is to prepare you for your career after you graduate. More often than not, a good resume shows that you are not just a decent student, but you also have hobbies and things you are interested in outside of academics.

Joining something on campus makes you a more well-rounded individual and applicant for a potential job you’re seeking. I can’t tell you how many times students ONLY focused on getting good grades and didn’t have a social component to show. They were antisocial and didn’t make the most of their college experience. And potential employers want to have people on their team they can communicate with, and strategize with. If you have no experience working with other people or being in an atmosphere with other people, there’s a chance you may get overlooked.

So, even if it’s just one thing you want to join- do it! There’s no harm in getting involved and building those social skills.

Networking opportunities

Another huge benefit is networking. Something you will learn if you haven’t already is a lot of times it’s who you know that can help you get amazing opportunities. It’s something I struggle with, despite finding myself pretty outgoing and social. Putting yourself into organizations with people you don’t know, allows you to form connections with your peers, faculty, and potentially alumni.

For example, I mentioned earlier I was in the Student Alumni Association at my school. Within that group, we hosted alumni to come and have dinner with us exclusively. We get to hear their life story. We learn why they chose our university, and how they got to the career they are in. This is not only an opportunity to get inspired by alumni, but if they were in a field you wanted to go into, you could ask any questions you wanted about it. Typically at the end, they would offer their email or contact information to the group if we wanted to reach out to them later. Things like this can be huge in determining what you want to do as a career.

You aren’t lonely

Something that some students do is go to class, go to the cafeteria to eat, and then go back to their dorm. Staying secluded in your dorm room is not the way to get the most out of your college experience. Students that do this often feel lonely, get depressed, and sometimes drop out or transfer schools. Going to college is one of the most unique experiences you will ever have in your life. So make sure you aren’t hiding in your dorm and refusing to put yourself out there. I promise you will regret not trying.

You will have fun!

Last but not least, be yourself and have fun! College is (you’ll find out) a short experience. Joining things on campus and making friends makes the experience memorable and worth it. With the running group I joined, I joined it purely out of wanting to do something I love with people who also love the same thing. It was so much fun! My sister joined the anime club where she made friends with people who loved sitting and watching anime! Join things that bring out a happy version of you.

I want to note there were some groups I could just join with no requirements. Then there were other more leadership-based things I had to interview for. If you don’t get in the first time, PLEASE don’t beat yourself up. You can follow up and ask what you need to improve on and have a killer interview next time around. Never ever let one “no”, or even multiple “no’s” make you feel any less than amazing, it just wasn’t your time yet. Or, that’s not the group you’re meant to be a part of.
Joining things on campus is meant to be fun. So, while you can network and build your resume, remember you want to enjoy your experience first. Be yourself and go for it!

You should take my advice and get involved on campus! There are so many amazing benefits of joining a club in college. I really hope these points motivate you to check out what clubs and organizations are on your campus. Let me know what you find!