College students are busy with assignments, tests and their social life. But they sometimes may forget to take advantage of one of the best opportunities they have while on college, their campus clubs or organizations are free and available for them to take the step and get involved in whatever interest you may have, or a club that is related to your major.
I decided I wanted to be as engaged as possible the moment I got accepted into SDSU. Journalism, as any other profession, requires actual practice and hands-on experience for people to get a grasp of it. Here are my reasons why being part of a club or organization while in college matters.
- You meet new people:
- It may sound cliche but it is true. When you become part of a club or organization whether you know someone already or not, you get to hang out with so many new people on a constant basis that you expand your social circle and even gain new friends.
- You become part of something bigger:
- As part of a club or organization, you become part of a unit with a purpose and goal. Whether it is you enjoy a similar activity or share the same interests, the organization becomes stronger the more people are involved in it.
- You gain experience:
- Personally speaking, when I joined The Daily Aztec, the newspaper at San Diego State University, in my first semester there, I gained a lot of skills that I had only heard about in my journalism classes. I got to practice my interview skills and my writing and editing skills for three months. I got to meet students with more experience than my that shared their knowledge. All those moments and everything I learned could have not been possible without me getting involved when I did.
- It builds up your resume:
- Another great aspect of being part of an organization or club that many students don’t consider, is the fact that adding that bit to your academic career will also reflect in your life once you graduate. Many future employers will look at what you did while in college to know what experience you can bring into the company or how do you differentiate from other candidates that apply for the same job. If you are not much of a social soul, you should really consider to join a club or organization for the mere fact that it will look good on paper.
- It helps you become a better student:
- Because of the load work from classes and the new commitment to being a member of an organization, you have to plan your schedule ahead of time to accommodate all your activities throughout the day and even the week. With this new pressure to have time to complete everything you have due, you can use your time more wisely and effectively, which hopefully, can transmit in better grades.
Rookie Journalist 