Benefits of Campus Involvement

Immerse yourself in campus life to gain a memorable and rewarding college experience. Discover the countless activities happening daily tailored to just about every interest. Whether you're interested in sports, the arts, or academics there's always something exciting for you to engage in. 

 Joining a college club or organization has so many benefits:

• Making a huge school feel much smaller — and more manageable.
• Allowing you to become part of a community.
• Opening doors and providing you with new opportunities.

Not sure where to start? Connect with your school and watch for emails about cool events or lists of clubs and extracurriculars. Look for organizations, clubs, sports, student events, and fitness classes that pique your interest, and then go ahead — check them out!

Time Management

Once you are involved in a variety of activities on campus, you must juggle your responsibilities. Dedicating a set amount of time to your classes, assignments, and on-campus activities strengthens your time management skills more than you realize. 

Developing the skill of balancing various responsibilities will get you through college and stick with you long after your college years. 

Finding Your Community

Remember that there’s something on campus for everyone. It might take giving one, two, or even three extracurriculars a chance, but you will find at least one that’s a good fit and where you belong. 

Introverts — and even extroverts — may struggle to put themselves out there and meet new people, especially in an unfamiliar, new environment, but the effort does pay off.  Joining a campus club gives you all the tools to connect meaningfully with others who share your interests. Introduce yourself to as many people as you can; you never know who may become a close friend or colleague in the future. 

Continuing old or discovering new interests 

Take your interests and passions with you to college. Whether you want to continue pursuing interests from high school or try something new that maybe you didn’t have time for senior year, campus activities provide the perfect outlet. 

Joining groups or participating in activities related to your major, hobbies or interests gives you the perfect opportunity to continue doing the things you love or even open up a new interest you have never even considered. If you love to write consider joining the campus magazine, or if you love fashion try out the student fashion organization. A lot of schools even have clubs tailored to very niche hobbies or interests like zombies or ukulele playing. There's truly something for everyone!

Stress Relief 

Do college academics feel overwhelming at times? Absolutely. On-campus involvement can provide a desperately needed break from the pressures of your courses and assignments. Doing stuff you enjoy significantly lowers your stress levels, even while immersed in the college atmosphere. 

Joining a club, playing a sport, or having an artistic outlet provides a fun and productive opportunity to escape from daily life’s stresses. 

Resume Building 

As an active member of campus activities not only will you grow as an individual but you will also be able to build your resume. 

When looking for a job either during college or post-graduation, having been involved in organizations or activities on campus demonstrates ambition and leadership. Participation in activities outside of your studies proves that you are hardworking, committed to building positive relationships, and have been exposed to a variety of social situations that will better prepare you for the workplace. 

Communication Skills 

One of the most critical skills college helps you develop is how to communicate effectively. Joining a club or organization will help you build on that skill. 

Collaborating with others in an organization or club can give you exposure to people with different perspectives. You create new relationships with others you might not otherwise encounter — a microcosm of the professional world. Over time, you’ll evolve into a much more confident version of yourself when communicating with groups and individuals.

Getting involved in a campus club is more than just a simple way to keep you busy. It’s an essential part of your college experience that will benefit you in countless ways. 

Step out of your comfort zone and try something new! You’ll never truly know how rewarding it feels to be involved in something until you experience it. 

Colleges & universities with the best extracurricular activities 

Here’s our list of overall top ten schools with plenty of extracurricular clubs and organizations.

• The University of Texas at Austin (1,683 extracurriculars)
• The Ohio State University (1,560 extracurriculars)
• University of Michigan (1,500 extracurriculars)
• Texas A&M University (1,155 extracurriculars)
• Purdue University (1,075 extracurriculars)
• University of California (1,000 extracurriculars)
• University of Illinois at Urbana (1,000 extracurriculars)
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (979 extracurriculars)
• Cornell University (971 extracurriculars)
• University of Wisconsin (956 extracurriculars)
• Iowa State University (898 extracurriculars)

Organizations might be academic/educational, community service, media/publication, recreation/sports, political, multicultural, student government, religious/spiritual, and more. Depending on where you go, you might join:

• An entrepreneurs network organization
• An honor society for business, financial, legal, management, and marketing majors
• The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics student organization
• Students for Environmental Action (SEA)
• Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP)
• Campus Feminist Alliance (CFA)
• An animation and film club
• An amateur radio club
• A Christian fellowship club
• A Muslim Student Association
• International Students Association (ISA)
• African Student Association
• Scholars Friendship Association