Clubs on campus: the importance of getting involved

Getting to know people on campus can be both challenging and intimidating. Thankfully, there are more places to meet people than just in the classroom.

Involving yourself in campus clubs and organizations is a sure-fire way to situate yourself around people with similar interests, but with so many amazing groups to join, it can be a task in itself just to narrow down the choices.

Thankfully, the only thing stopping you from joining every single club on campus is a lack of time.

Before you carve out your place in one of Wilfrid Laurier University’s many great campus clubs, take a gander through the plethora of options available to you.

Here, we’ve compiled a short list of clubs based on interest, but it is by no means exhaustive.

If you are looking for a more comprehensive list, the Students’ Union website features a page dedicated to all of Laurier’s clubs and associations. Facebook is also a great resource, as almost all active clubs use Facebook to communicate their events.

If you want to know more about any of these clubs, or any others that Laurier boasts, the most sure-fire way to gather information is by attending the Get Involved Fair during the orientation week programming.

It’s happening from 10:00-3:00 on Friday September 8 and, according to emails sent to club presidents, the organizers of this year are expecting over 200 clubs to be boothing throughout the day.

That, of course, can seem intimidating in itself. It’s important to remember, however, that many of the executives of these clubs are involved with several other clubs as well.

If you can afford the time to do so, research some of the clubs you’re interested in beforehand so that way they won’t get lost in the sea of possibilities.

That said, if you can spare the time, wander around as much as you can. Some of the best opportunities can come from clubs and associations you just happen to stumble into.

Make sure you aren’t afraid to ask questions. There are a tonne of clubs that all have similar interests, but those can make the difference between having a great time and dreading attending meetings.

Maybe you’re into writing. There’s a creative writing magazine (Blueprint), an academic arts journal (Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts) and, of course, journalism is always an option (and we never stop hiring at The Cord). If you don’t ask, you might end up with the wrong fit.

Just in Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications (WLUSP), on the Waterloo campus, you can get involved with Radio Laurier, Blueprint, Laurier Student Poll, Keystone Yearbook, and us (The Cord).

Reach out to us at any time if you’re interested — we promise we won’t bite.

Take a look at how much time you have too. Maybe rush a fraternity or a sorority or maybe just join Laurier photography club. Ask around to see how involved you have to be and see if that’s the best fit for your lifestyle.

The new year also brings new opportunities to try new things. Don’t be afraid to attend a meeting or two of clubs you’re interested in to try it out.

If you’re not interested, there’s no obligation to continue. If you love it, great! You just made a group of new friends.

Laurier also has a pretty awesome system that allows you to start your own club.

In order to start a club with the Students’ Union, you’ll need an executive team and a list of 20 active members (or people who are interested in joining). It’s also a pretty good idea to make sure a similar club doesn’t already exist.

The president is recommended to have a GPA of at least 5.0, and you should include a club constitution, outlining how the administration of the club works and what it stands for.

You can also start your own faculty club, but there may be some extra requirements. For example, to start a club that falls under the faculty of arts, your membership needs to be 50 per cent plus one arts students. 

And sometimes you’re just overwhelmed at the beginning of the year with everything that’s going on. Almost all clubs are always looking for general members and all you need to do is come out to their events, no sign up necessary.

No matter what you end up doing, make sure you talk to the executive to see how involved you need to be to get the club on your co-curricular record.

The co-curricular record (CCR, as it’s affectionately called) is a list of all of the extra-curricular activities you participated in throughout your university career.

It can be printed off and used in your applications to jobs, further schooling, to post on grandma’s fridge, etc. It’s a pretty useful tool, but each club has different requirements for your involvements to be accepted.

And getting involved can only be beneficial. You could have a straight 12.0 average and not land a job because you have absolutely no experience beyond the classroom.

For a more immediate benefit, beyond the obvious ones of making friends and staying mentally well, a lot of scholarships are also based on extracurricular involvement.

Making friends, gaining experience, volunteerism, whatever you want: there’s a club for that. Don’t be afraid to get involved — your future self will thank you.

Continue reading to see a spotlight on some new and exciting clubs around campus. Remember to check the Students’ Union website for a more comprehensive list!

For those unfamiliar with the fascinating and emerging trend of eSports, it’s worth checking out.

Here is your on-campus access point to the world of competitive video-gaming.

All the strummers out there on campus who are looking for people to jam with, this is your club.

You never know, your future bandmates could be hiding in plain sight!

Pool sharks watch out! The Laurier Billiards Society meets up pretty often.

Better yet, there are some pretty sweet places to play pool around Waterloo; this group will show you the ropes.

Super Smash Bros has arguably ended more friendships than it has started, but its still pretty much impossible to turn down an opportunity to play.