Enhance your College Experience with Extracurriculars

With all the time and money we spend acquiring our degrees here at MSU, it is important to remember that there is far more to college than our time in the classroom. 

The people you meet and the experiences you have are just as vital to your growth and quality of life as your academics. That is why I believe participating in student organizations and extracurriculars is the most important thing one can do in college.

Classes can provide great experiences and allow us to meet new people. However, nothing compares to the joy of getting involved in an organization you are passionate about on campus. Extracurriculars provide us with opportunities that are difficult or impossible to find anywhere else. They allow us to explore our interests while nurturing our passions. Whatever your interest may be, there is a student organization out there for you to engage with.

MSU offers more than 300 different student organizations and clubs. These range from creative writing, board games, track and field, backcountry mudding clubs, Greek life, student government and many more. There are so many opportunities for us to have an outlet to engage with our interests and hobbies.

Being a part of a group of people who voluntarily choose to spend their time doing something that matters to them will cause a ripple effect of making the world a better place. 

Getting involved with your campus community creates a more engaging environment that you could never find in a classroom. It allows for connection with people on a deeper level as you already know you share an interest. This environment where you are around people who enjoy the same thing as you allows for friendships and connections to naturally develop.

Putting yourself out there is a daunting endeavor but getting out of your comfort zone is a constructive habit that will benefit you later in life. 

By getting involved during your time in college, you can hone that skill, learn more about yourself and discover what kind of people you want to surround yourself with.

  It’s important to remember that you don’t have to be good at something to get involved in it and it may even take a while for you to feel comfortable. I know that I had doubts about a lot of the things I’ve chosen to do but sticking it out has given me so much more than I ever thought was possible. This article is the perfect example of that. I never wrote for a newspaper before and even now as I write I really don’t know what I’m doing. But it’s something I have always wanted to do and where else will I get this opportunity? 

This is college, a time for learning about ourselves and growing as people, so we may as well take advantage of all the ways we can do that. Get involved, join a club. Choose to write for the student newspaper and who knows, it may change your life.

To check out the many different ways to get involved on campus, visit https://www.montana.edu/engagement/.