During your first year of post-secondary education, youʼre going to want to experience different things, gain new friends, harness your academic and social skills, and perhaps get your mind off all that schoolwork.

One of the best ways of doing this, outside of your classes, is by joining one of the many clubs on campus. There is bound to be a club that suits your needs and interests, and it may be as simple as going online to see what is available for you.

A club is an excellent way to have fun while learning new skills that are relevant to your career path, and sharing your passion with other like-minded people.

In my time at Brock University I joined three clubs.  One of them was the writers club – where students would join up after their classes to share poetry and prose. In a small seminar room, usually with under 20 students, we would discuss each others work in turns, pointing out our strengths and weaknesses.

Sharing my work with others and receiving their criticism helped me grow as a writer. But clubs are not limited to just seminar discussions.

Another club at Brock, called Guinness Brock,  is based around trying to break world records. If you need volunteer hours to put on your resume or application form, you may benefit from a club like this.  Being part of a club also helps out with scholarships, since most look for a candidate with strong extra-curricular achievement. Last year Guinness Brock broke the world record during their freshmen week for most people air soloing. They also attempted to break the record for worldʼs largest dodgeball game.

More than just being rewarding, joining a club can help lead to other opportunities.  For example, the previously mentioned Guiness Brock club helped Brock student Sohail Ahmed climb his way to the top of Brock Universityʼs student council, becoming the acting president for the upcoming semester. Sohail founded Guiness Brock, not only to create a club that he would enjoy, but also to create something that would allow him to gain management experience that could lead him to other opportunities on campus. As a result, Sohail not only created a lasting impact in Brockʼs club society, he also created an opportunity for himself.

As much fun as clubs can be, try and select clubs you’re interested in wisely and make sure they fit your academic schedule. Happy clubbing – and yes, there are probably dance clubs as well!