5 Reasons For Getting Involved in College

Much Of College Learning Happens Outside The Classroom, So Make Sure To Take Advantage.

By Julie Mayfield and Lindsey Mayfield. September 13, 2011.

There's more to the college experience than the classroom.

College campuses offer endless opportunities to get involved as well.

  1. It allows students to become connected to their school: Colleges are full of resources, but the responsibility is on the student to seek them out. Being involved helps them to do that.
  2. It helps them build community: Since they're leaving their family and sometimes their friends behind, getting involved helps discover new friends with similar interests.
  3. It allows them to discover their passions and strengths: These will follow them all through life. It allows them to discover what they don't like, too.
  4. It's a résumé builder: Freshman year is not too soon to begin thinking about positioning yourself for future employment.

Sometimes, busier people do better in all areas: This will vary a lot by the student, of course, but more free time does not always equal better grades. Being involved will require some organization and time management on the part of the student—and that's a good thing.

Finding your niche on campus, however, can be much easier said than done.

Here's what I've learned so far about some of the best ways to get involved:

  1. Utilize your school's resources: Whether it is housed in an office or online, most colleges have some sort of involvement center that lists every campus organization and gives information on how to get involved.
  2. Try everything at least once: You may not like every organization that you consider, so keep an open mind! Go outside of your comfort zone when looking for groups to join; oftentimes these are the most rewarding experience.
  3. Realize that being involved is an ongoing process: Involvement on campus shouldn't be solely restricted to permanent positions or groups. Be on the lookout for temporary activities too, like service projects or campus event planning. Find out if there is an involvement or community service newsletter that you can subscribe to in order to stay up to date on the latest opportunities.

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