Getting involved on campus can be one of the most difficult things for a student to achieve while in college. Education should always take priority when attending a 4 year institution but never rule out the absolute importance of getting involved. There are so many clubs and organizations that students can choose to be apart of, and if you find yourself not resonating with one in particular, you can create your own. There is way more to clubs and organizations . Here are just 5 of the biggest things a student can take away from getting involved on campus. 1) Leadership traits Being a leader can come in many different styles and with many different attributes. But one thing is for certain, having leadership skills is an absolute must. Clearpointstrategy.com talks about the 5 characteristics of a good leader so it would only be right to let you know what those top 5 things are in a top 5 list of top 5 things (whew that was a lot): 1. Communication Skills- Being in a club requires tons of communication. Within members and between the executive board and its members, this is a top attribute that one can gain while in a club and as a potential employee in the job market, this will make you stand out. 2. Passion & Commitment- Would you join a club or organization and dedicated hours upon hours of your time if you were not passionate or committed? Didn't think so. 3. Positivity- A positive attitude is contagious, and once you are involved more on campus, you will find yourself having much more fun and feeling more connected. In work space, positive attitudes one must have - Confucius I think. 4. Innovation- CREATIVITY *Spongebob Imagination Voice*. Thinking outside the box is a skill that many do not necessarily grasp. Begin your journey on creative thinking by using those attributes when setting up events & programs, recruiting, planning and even advertising for a club or organization. 5. Collaboration- Life is all about collaboration. Much like the great collaborations of ‘Ye and Jay-Z, Drake & Future, & Taio Cruz and Ludacris (If you don't know who they are you have to ask yourself if you REALLY know music) employers and those you network with want to ensure that you are open minded and willing to cooperate. Getting involved is just the first step in all these leadership skills. 2) Life Saving Skills Yes, you read that right. Skills that you can learn on How to Save a Life. (Cue The Fray). You can learn soft skills that can help de-escalate a situation which in turn can lower the probability for something bad to happen and for someone to potentially get hurt. Or perhaps you may involve yourself with an organization such as EMS where you will actually learn life saving techniques and could even get certified as an EMT. Talk about goals. 3) Finding yourself Most first year college students hate to admit it, and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you do not have it all figured out. I promise you. There is so much more to learn, so many different ways to grow, and progressive levels of bettering oneself. Perhaps you were shy in high school and are just now breaking down walls and wanting to create new friendships. Perhaps you just went from being the most popular kid at school to knowing absolutely noone. Or perhaps, you are a non-traditional college student now and are just trying to find ways to connect and fit in. Whatever the reason, finding yourself doesn’t just have to be a deep, internalized reflection. You might find a little of yourself in others and/or find yourself in a club, fraternity/sorority, or organization. Deeply rooting your ideals, virtues, and perhaps even culture on campus. 4) Networking It’s not just about who you know, but who knows you. Networking is preached at every single job training, conference, interaction, meeting.. Actually, almost every waking moment of your life can be deemed as an opportunity for one to network. This creates connections and creates the spaces for you to not only meet others, but come out with something from the interaction. Whether a business card, job opportunity, or knowing somebody who knows somebody, networking is harped upon because it actually is that important. 5) Experience
Lastly, you take away the greatest thing one can receive from life itself, and that is the experience. Learning about yourself, networking, finding yourself, these are all a big part of life and you can begin to chisel away at it all by getting involved on campus. Whether creating a relationship with someone who may be your “best-person” at your wedding, connecting with someone who becomes a future employer, or perhaps creating a connection with a faculty member who ends up writing you that extraordinary letter of recommendation that gets you into Grad School, it all starts by choosing to do something. So go out and get involved, make a difference in not just your own life, but maybe in someone else’s. By giving to something bigger than yourself, you not only better yourself but you also put good vibes out into the universe. The universe does speak back, sometimes we just need to take a second and listen
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