Extra-Curricular Activities in College: Jump Start Your Future!

In high school you may have participated in after school activities for a number of reasons:

Cure after school boredom

Attempt to silence your parents’ comments about how you need to be more involved

Hang out with friends

Whatever your reason may be or have been, starting early and getting involved in high school is great practice for college. In college, extra-curricular activities can be a way to have fun, but also prepare for the future.

I’ll talk about myself for example. In school at the University of Missouri, my hopes were a career in public relations and marketing. In knowing that experience in college activities would look great on my resume, my junior year I joined Zou Crew, the student spirit section for the University of Missouri Men’s Basketball Team.

That first year I was a Game-Day coordinator, making sure everything ran smoothly during home games and helping out with events. My second year I assumed more responsibility. I interviewed with the executive directors for the Marketing Development Coordinator position and was successful.

My duties included attending meetings, helping with the marketing of the organization to the students on campus, social media outreach, event marketing and soliciting sponsorships from local businesses. This involvement in an organization allowed me to not only have fun being involved in something I love, but also gain valuable experience in my field of study.

No matter what your major is, there is usually some type of organization you can join at your college or university that will be both fun and beneficial to you in the long run. Majoring in biology? Try a science or medical club. Interested in law school? What about a pre-law organization? Business major? Look into an organization you’re interested in and try to get on the executive board.

In addition to work experience, joining organizations and staying involved are great ways to impress an employer. It shows that you didn’t just go home, eat Ramen noodles, lie in bed and watch sports or reality TV every day after class. It shows that (along with good grades ) you took initiative and were thinking long-term, thinking about what you could do to prepare for your future.

About the Author:

Aundrea Rogers is a recent graduate of the University of Missouri and is currently a public relations professional and freelancer. She has experience in public relations, marketing, media relations and social media management.