Starting university or moving to a new school is a huge challenge, one that’s not easy to face. In the midst of not knowing anyone and beginning several courses, one often gets carried away. Faced by confusion, uncertainty, and loss of motivation to carry on, you’re less willing to give your education your all.
My journey with student activities started in 10th grade when I joined my school’s Model United Nations (MUN), only as a mean of spending more time with my friends after school and trying out something new. I wouldn’t say that it unleashed my passion and showed me a purpose in life, but I learned so much from the mentors who were almost my age. It impacted me to the extent that I joined MUN three times in total. My only regret was graduating school as I wouldn’t be able to join for a fourth time.
Having finished my first semester in University, student activities were the only stable aspect of my life. I realized that it wasn’t about spending time with my friends anymore because none of them joined any. It was about learning what no one teaches you in college, exposing you to a wide variety of mindsets and using your time in something useful. Currently, I am in two student clubs in my university, one in another university, and I’m writing for this magazine, alongside with actually studying. That is a lot to put up with for sure, but if I wasn’t certain of how much I’m learning, I wouldn’t have applied in the first place.
The real question of whether to join or not is in the back of all of our heads. Joining (or not joining) a student activity does not affect your GPA or anything academic, however, it will affect all other aspects of your (academic) life.
- It makes you grow as a person.
While carrying out your tasks, you will be faced with several obstacles and you’ll learn from them.
- It widens your social circle.
Whether you want it or not, you will have to communicate with other students and you’ll make friends eventually!
- It exposes you to different age groups.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a freshmen or a senior, your opinions are still valid.
- It helps you find your passion.
If you didn’t find your passion yet, being part of a student body will most likely help you.
- It unleashes your hidden talents.
Maybe you’ve never tried coaching, professional photography and design or done HR training, but student activities will help those talents flourish.
Student activities can also act as an escape and increase your knowledge in a specific field. The decision of whether or not to join is completely up to you, but make sure that you’ll be able to look back on your school/university years and know that you truly learned something.
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