Every year around the end of September and the beginning of October, twamps begin to dive into the dreaded midterm season. Free time plummets, studying picks up and school work becomes the main focus. While it is true that as a student you need to focus on tests and essays, do not let these assignments control your life. As a member of a few organizations on campus, I can attest to how much club participation drops during midterm season. My recommendation to freshmen and members of clubs in general is to use this busy time to determine which clubs you should invest in.Clubs and other organizations are opportunities for your non-academic interests to express themselves. We all know that there are a huge number of clubs on this campus, but by just being a member you may not be getting much out of them. For your club to do anything for you, you need to do something for it. My first year at the College I became a member of a few organizations. I thought that each one was cool and that I liked the people in them, but I wasn’t getting much out of them until I asked myself how much I cared about each organization. International Relations Club and Young Democrats weren’t good fits not because I didn’t care about their subject matters or members, but because I didn’t care about the organizations. In the end, the organizations I cared about I invested myself deeply in to help them succeed.
Now, with midterm season looming, your ability to participate in clubs is going to be stressed. There will be times when you have to miss meetings for a study session, which is no big deal, but you still need to carve out time for club participation. If you are constantly blowing off a general meeting and not putting effort into the club, that is a sign you should invest yourself elsewhere. There is nothing wrong with making an exit from an organization; sometimes, it may actually be more courteous to other members and to the club as a whole. Whatever you do, do not become content with missing the events your organizations host because of being busy. I say “become content with missing” because sometimes missing activities needs to happen to make room for school.
Still, even if you dedicate more time to school, that does not mean you cannot show that you still care about your club(s). Make sure that club leadership knows you still want to participate and are willing to when you can. Clubs notice when you make an effort; a notifying text here and a helping hand there go a long way, especially if you want to a be a club leader. Make use of busy midterm season and determine what organizations are important to you and trim off those that aren’t. Remember to stay dedicated and put effort into your grades and the activities you care about.
Email Michael Chene at machene@email.wm.edu.