Prioritize your college experience
September 9, 2021
I have spent almost all of my life involved in extracurricular activities. Those close to me can tell you that I was involved in everything I could be and loved every minute of it.
That stopped in college. No matter how much I enjoyed the activities I was in, I thought taking a transition period would be good for me, and it was.
I have a history of overworking myself without realizing, which a lot of students (especially athletes) seem to end up doing. Getting a busy schedule isn’t hard to do in college when so many activities and RSOs are being handed to you.
It’s important to evaluate what is good for you and what you need to be involved in to better yourself for the future. I certainly was not sure what I was truly interested in even a year ago, and what I like may very well change.
In addition to waiting to participate of my own accord, a lot of the activities that Eastern offers weren’t running, were impossible to get ahold of, or were no longer offered. This made getting involved even more difficult.
Going from 16-hour days to mostly online classes was a big jump. I ended up feeling bored a lot my first semester. That was when I knew I was acclimated enough to get a job.
Working filled my empty hours and made motivation for school a lot more achievable. This year, I started working more and joined some clubs as well. Even though I’m nervous I might have too much on my plate, I’m excited to start getting involved.
Fortunately, things are pretty flexible with availability as we are college students. Even still, I would recommend waiting until you’re sure to get involved with organizations on campus.
Though I know a lot of other folks would disagree, those that are nervous have the option to postpone 100% of the college experience.
The difference between high school and college can be stark, and not everyone is prepared for that. This idea is propelled by the fact that we attend a smaller university. I know what I did isn’t necessarily standard, and I might feel like I missed out later, but I won’t know until sometime in the future. Personally, I would rather take the time to do well in class and then join things than the inverse.
Overall, I would recommend waiting to join clubs, jobs, and RSOs until you’re sure that you will have time for the other things in your life.
Maya Kurth is a sophomore Public Relations major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or at mkurth@eiu.edu.