Why Involvement Matters for College Students
As a college student, your focus is on academics, but it is important to realize that involvement outside of the classroom can improve your overall college experience. Participation in extracurricular activities, clubs, organizations, and community offers many benefits. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of involvement as a college student and how it can contribute to personal growth, skill development, networking opportunities, and building your resume.
1. Personal Growth:
Getting involved in college provides opportunities for personal growth. By stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new activities, you can discover your passions, develop new interests, and gain a deeper understanding of yourself. You also must set goals, manage time effectively, and prioritize responsibilities, all of which are important life skills.
2. Soft Skill Development:
Participating in extracurricular activities can enhance your skill set and complement your academic learning. Leadership, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking are all soft skills that can be improved by your involvement efforts. Involvement provides opportunities to better these skills in real-world settings. By taking on different roles and responsibilities, you can develop transferable skills that will benefit you in your future career endeavors.
3. Networking Opportunities:
College involvement opens doors to valuable networking opportunities. Joining clubs, organizations, or professional associations allows you to connect with individuals who share your interests or career aspirations. Networking can lead to mentorship relationships, internships, job referrals, and friendships.
4. Build your resume:
While academics are undoubtedly important, involvement in extracurricular activities can add to your resume. Any activities you can show future employers, graduate schools, and others show you are hardworking and have time management skills. In some fields, you can gain practical training and industry expertise by joining a club or becoming a member of an on-campus organization such as the American Marketing Association where you can gain real-life work experience in your field.
You can find all these benefits within the American Marketing Association. AMA provides its members with opportunities for personal growth, soft skill development, networking and internship opportunities, and it is a terrific organization to add to your resume. Join AMA now and get access to AMA UT, AMA Tampa Bay, and AMA National!
