For many college students, the first year is a big transition in their lives. You’re thrown into a new environment where students from all over the world are coming to study. You’re eager to begin what will be the best four years of your life, but you aren’t sure where to begin. Luckily, IU offers over 750 student organizations, clubs, sororities and fraternities, sports, and volunteer groups to help enhance your college lifestyle.
To help sort through all the options, all of IU’s student organizations and clubs are listed on theBeInvolved website. Students can narrow down their selection by a particular school, such as Kelly, Luddy, The Media School, etc, or by category using the category selection tool. IU provides such a unique variety of organizations that any student can find one that interests them, ranging from the American Sign Language Club, Chinese Calligraphy Club, Awkward Silence Comedy, IU Journal of Undergraduate Research, Belly Dance Club, and so many more.
There are also Student Involvement Fairs at the beginning of each semester where you can meet with representatives from each student organization and find an option that interests you. The Fall Student Involvement Fair usually occurs in early August, and the Spring Student Involvement Fair happens in January.
But, why should you get involved in college? Being involved in student organizations can have many benefits for mental and social health. In fact, according to a study from the Journal of College Student Development, researchers found a strong positive correlation between more student involvement and their psychological well-being (Kilgo, et. al 2016). Being involved with other students is a great way to share your passion together and improve your psychological well-being as a whole. You can also gain more real-world application skills and feel more integrated within the community.
Getting involved in college can also be a strong asset to your academic and career goals. According to a research study from the Ohio State University, students who were involved in organizations were at least two times more likely to be hired for a job compared to those who weren’t involved. In addition, students involved in at least one extracurricular activity were 2.1 times more satisfied with their overall college experience. Since many jobs and professions require teamwork and communication skills with colleagues, having some student organization experience can help strengthen those vital skills.
Overall, getting involved at IU allows students to enhance their college experience and foster important social skills that can help pursue their future careers. For more information, check out all of the ways to get involved at IU’s BeInvolved website.
Works Cited
Kilgo, C.A., Mollet, A., Pascarella, E.T. “The Estimated Effects of College Student Involvement on Psychological Well-Being”. Journal of College Student Development, vol. 57, no. 8, 2016,https://muse.jhu.edu/article/638565/pdf.
“Involvement in College Matters.” Center for the Study of Student Life, https://cssl.osu.edu/research-projects/involvement-study#:~:text=2.1%20times%20more%20likely%20to,attending%20graduate%20or%20professional%20school.