Getting Involved on Campus: Why You Should Do It RIGHT NOW

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Think back to when you first came to Iowa State. I’ll bet you were feeling a little nervous, a little scared, and a lot excited. What were you excited about? Finally getting out of the house? Gaining the freedom to do whatever it is that YOU want to do? Probably both of these, and more.

I was really excited to be on this amazing campus when the leaves changed color in the fall!

One of the things I was really excited about when I came to college was the opportunity to expand my horizons and get involved in things I had never even dreamt about back home. Clubs are a great way to do just that, and with over 800 clubs and organizations here at Iowa State, getting involved has never been easier (or in my case more difficult, since I want to try everything)! Below I am going to highlight some reasons why I think you should get involved with at least one club and/or organization today!

Reason 1: Getting involved makes it a LOT easier to meet cool, new people!

One of my close friends (and actually my roommate) gave me a great example of one of the clubs he’s a part of. My friend transferred here this year, and when he found a club he was interested in, he joined right away. He always talks about how it’s both interesting and exciting that he meets a variety of students who all have the same interests as him. These students were from all different majors and ages, but they were able to come together for a common interest. Think about your interests… Do you like Quidditch? There’s a club for that. Want to learn how to ride a unicycle? There’s a club for that. Want to talk about math since it is OBVIOUSLY the best major out there (and I am definitely not biased)? There’s a club for that. And you will meet a ton of cool people who you can talk to about all your obsessions!

Reason 2: Being involved (almost) always makes you more productive!

Yes, it’s true. Being busy can make you more productive, as long as you don’t overdo it. I know before I started getting involved, I would watch Netflix or take a nap during my long 3-4 hour breaks. Even though Netflix and naps are great, I will admit that I procrastinated my homework longer than I should have. Lucky for me, I got involved early and I started to fill my time with other activities. Instead of having one long break, I ended up having several shorter breaks. I learned that these breaks weren’t long enough for an episode (or three) of Netflix, and it certainly wouldn’t help me to take a nap and oversleep! So I started to spend these breaks doing homework or reading my textbooks. I even gasp got ahead in some of my classes! To top it all off, I was able to spend my longer breaks actually relaxing BECAUSE I spent my shorter breaks throughout the day being productive.

Reason 3: You get to explore things you would have never known about!

How many people would know that the Campanile on Central Campus has over 22,000 bricks? Or that Mexico’s national soccer team holds the record for being eliminated the most times in the World Cup’s round of 16? Every club has its focal area, and it will delve much deeper into the subject than most people would want to go. This is great for people who are really interested, though! I mean, who wouldn’t want to learn everything possible about Lord of the Rings and Middle Earth? Definitely not me!  But if you are feeling like you want to branch out and try something new, look for a club or organization that you might be even remotely interested in. Go to a few meetings and see if you like it. You never know what might become your new favorite hobby!!!

If you started reading this thinking that getting involved is overrated, I hope you feel differently now. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start getting involved!

Posted by: Michael Cox