influential-magazine.com
PHILANTHROPY
kWRITTEN BY PRISCILLA GLENN
People are always nagging that you should get involved in school activities and organizations during college. But you don’t want to, and you know what, why should you do something you don’t want to do?
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et’s throw these activities out and look at life. You get to go home every day before everyone else. You get to spend it however you please, reading that book, playing a video game, and searching the web. Hey, that seems pretty enjoyable actually. But where are your friends? Are they all online? Are they the characters in a book? Your Instagram followers? Those people may be your friends but it’s a superficial friendship. A true friendship usually starts face to face and following conversations are often person to person or voice to voice. You know this person. Not just their internet profile. And where do you meet potential friends face to face? At activities and social events hosted by organizations. Let’s say you’ve gone through your entire undergraduate career without joining a school organization. You have a 3.9 GPA and should be a quick hire for that first job. Your employer though, will look at your resume and wonder about
your social skills, your leadership skills, and your ability to work in a group. All of which you would’ve developed and shaped within a school organization. Plus, they want a letter of reference. Who better to speak of your character and work ethic, then the president or faculty sponsor of an official school organization? But if you never joined an organization…will you have the skills and the reference letter that they want? If not, they could very well pass you over for the 3.8 GPA student. So maybe by now, you’re starting to realize a life with participation in organizations might be more appealing than you thought. Well, it’s only going to get better. Are you trying to cut a few pounds? Trying to run or hit the gym every day? There’s a student organization out there to help you with that. Want to share your favorite books and find new ones? Check, there’s one for that too. Love manga or anime? Got it. Are you a mastermind at chess? They have it. Videogames? Most definitely. See? No matter what your interests are, there’s an organization for it. So, what’s not to love about joining one, two, or three organizations? You’ll make new friends, learn life lessons, create future connections, further your passions, and overall, greatly enjoy life. So, sure, it might take a little work, might be difficult at points, but that’s why the group is there. To support, encourage, and help you on your way. So, what are you waiting for? Don’t be a part of the “Go Home” group. Join a student organization this fall and start paving the path to the best possible future you can make. l
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017 TEEN
FLUENTIAL 395