As previously written, I always knew that in college I wanted to be as involved as possible. I knew that it was a great way to build social relationships as well as professional ones. Coming into Oswego I wanted to join everything. Instead, I wish I had known what I know now about joining organizations because it probably would have made things much easier.
- Try out for things, even if you’ve never done it before. Coming into the school, I definitely had a love for comedy but had never done any form of improv or acting. When I heard about Shaun Cassidy Fan Club (the improv troupe), I was unsure whether I would/could do what they set out to do on a weekly basis. Skipping their table at the involvement fair out of fear, I went to their first show and found their brand of comedy to be something I could fall in love with. I moved on to try it out and proved myself to be right.
- Mix clubs of entertainment and leisure with professional ones. While clubs can be fun and social experiences, the benefits of joining organizations that push you towards a career can be extremely beneficial. Major-driven clubs (Like PRSSA) and honor societies are great because they allow you to gain real work experience (not to mention they look good on a resume).
- Pick a few clubs and excel at them. As stated, coming in I wanted to be a part of everything. I love clubs and feel that they provide people with great social and experiential opportunities. I signed up for a double digit amount of clubs during the involvement fair without realizing the commitment they would take. After quickly dropping some, I’ve wished that I had picked a few from the get go to become deeply invested in (at the very least, it would have saved my wrists from having to write my email down so many times).
- Realize that integration is a process. This one should have been a no brainer, but for me it wasn’t. When I joined my chosen organizations I had hoped for swift bonds and engagement. What I realize now is that no matter what the organization is, becoming truly invested in it and creating long lasting bonds is a journey in itself but the rewards are terrific.
- At the end of the day, Oswego offers enough organizations where there is multiple things for everyone. Not being able to find a club is as remediable as a Google search. Picking a few awesome clubs is a great move for anyone!