Should Students Join Clubs on Campus?
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¶1Student clubs are an important part of the social and emotional development of young adults. Engagement in student organisations and activities can further develop self-awareness, self-management, and foster empathetic connections with others.
¶2I recognise a few downsides to the number of student organisations on my campus, especially in how resume-building opportunities appear to drive these numbers more often than a personal desire to help your community. But that doesn't outweigh the positive impact such memberships can have on social and emotional development for college students and on boosting their soft skills. Soft skills are "people skills" that allow us to effectively interact with others, like communication and work ethic.
¶3Campus clubs are spaces where students are encouraged to be themselves, make potential mistakes, miss deadlines, and use their experiences to grow in a supportive environment. Joining a student organisation presents many opportunities to learn more about yourself, your goals and your strengths. You can learn from how others handle certain situations and test your current knowledge. You can also find out what you're good at, whether that's multitasking, staying organised, generating ideas, or serving others. This self-awareness will be beneficial in your future career.
¶4Some of my peers have mentioned the issue of over-committing when they're pressured to be involved. When classroom work increases and time feels like it's running out, it may feel like there is no other option than to drop a commitment or two. In my experience, many student clubs welcome conversations about needing some time. In spaces run by others who may be struggling with work-life balance, I have never had a club tell me that stepping back isn't an option or that there won't be space for me when I feel ready to return. From sports and wellness focused organisations to cultural, or creative groups, there is space for everyone in a student club on my campus if students choose to seek out those opportunities.
¶5On the other hand, student clubs don't really foster a community. They divide the student base. While student clubs can bring a sense of community to students, oftentimes this creates a problem for students with social anxiety to feel that they can fit in. When there are a lot of different student groups, it can become overwhelming to attempt to fit in with the rest of the crowd.
¶6Many student clubs also require funding in some part from students, or at least investment from students to fully participate in their group, which becomes a factor that may leave those who join the clubs left out.
¶7Some student clubs promote themselves as good job experience for the real world. But resources to help students succeed in life should be available to students from the outside. Additionally, student clubs require a time investment to reach those opportunities. This allows for the attitude of earning one's way to an advantageous position in society when it all comes down to knowing the right person. Thus, the problem of alienation goes beyond how many people someone can know around campus. Shouldn't success be valued on the effort someone makes, and not on the luck of knowing the name of a different person of repute?
¶8If you want to assist the community, seek ways to increase the benefit towards those outside of your set social circle to see how many people the campus community really has that can benefit from your resources — both formal and informal. Student clubs are a great way to contribute, but only if they create an inclusive environment.