Join the Club: Picking the Right Extra-Curricular

By Leah

If you’ve ever walked around a club fair at your campus, there’s a good chance you felt a little overwhelmed. At many college campuses there truly is a group for everyone, making it difficult to narrow it down and pick a few extra-curricular activities. Whether you’re looking for things to boost your resume, want to meet new people or genuinely enjoy getting involved, there’s something out there for you. You just need to choose. As I consider myself to be an expert in picking the right groups – Journalists for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch Student Committee, writing for a women’s issue magazine (do you see a theme) – I’m here to help make your decision a little bit easier.

What you need to consider is what you want to get out of your activities and what you like to do. If you love being active and need another work out, there are intramurals or weekly fitness classes at the gym. If you are active AND a huge Harry Potter nerd, check out your local Quidditch team.

If you’re looking to enhance your career portfolio or add skills to a resume, then groups related to your academic interests or career ambitions may be better suited. There is the campus newspaper for aspiring journalists; health and safety teams for future nurses/doctors/EMTs; debate club or Model UN for future lawyers.

For do-gooders that want to volunteer or get involved with larger organizations, there are also lots of options. Affiliate groups of organizations such as Amnesty International, Engineers Without Borders, and Habitat for Humanity, may be at your school. Getting connected with these organizations early on could lead to future opportunities including international travel!

If you’re feeling homesick and disconnected from your community back home, many schools also have cultural or religious groups for you to join. Many campuses also have Positive Spaces for the LGBTQ community.

There’s a lot to choose from to meet your interests and help you get the most of your college years. Don’t be afraid to ask what a group does and go to a meeting. You aren’t committed to going back if the group isn’t for you.

Leah graduated from Ryerson University with her Bachelor of Journalism. She’s currently interning at a design magazine in Toronto and spending her spare time baking tasty cupcakes. You can follow her @ElleandBee.

[lead image via Monkey Business Images/shutterstock.com]