Luke Hughes (SFS’27) is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service studying Science, Technology and International Affairs from Lake Forest, Illinois.
Welcome back to school, Hoyas! I hope everyone is having a great first few days of classes. Time to get back into that school routine — and figure out what extracurricular activities you’ll be picking up this year!
This Saturday, the Council of Advisory Board (CAB) Fair on Copley Lawn will feature several hundred clubs and organizations sharing informational flyers, decorative stickers, tote bags and more swag to encourage students to join their group. While this sounds exciting to some, many find it hard to navigate, and even more difficult to decide on a club to join.
Well, don’t worry. You’re in luck! I have put together some advice for making your way through the CAB Fair and ultimately picking student organizations to make you a Hoya active in campus life.
Tip #1 — Be Realistic
First, do not spread yourself too thin. Clubs in college tend to have a bigger time commitment, and many of them have promotional opportunities that add even more responsibility for yourself. The best piece of advice I can give is to join only two or three groups so that you can be an active member and make an effort to get to know your colleagues. Remember that although you may want to join more, you’re still a college student — academics come first! You only have so many hours in a day.
Tip #2 — Narrow Down Your Options
Now, here comes the tough part. What two or three clubs should you join? Most clubs fit into one of these three categories: academic, professional or social. Here comes my second piece of advice: I recommend that you join a club in at least two of these areas. Let me share my club story to explain why.
Georgetown’s Institute of Politics and Public Service (GU Politics) falls in both my “academic” and “professional” club on campus. There are so many opportunities on campus to expand your knowledge on current global events outside of the classroom. A club such as GU Politics is there for that reason. Students can work with the Institute’s Fellows, six of the best brains in politics who are on campus for a full semester, and attend their weekly discussion groups and office hours. Even further, GU Politics offers some of the best professional networking opportunities out there. Joining an academic-related and professional organization is a great way to learn more outside of a classroom and explore career options. And who doesn’t love a leadership opportunity, such as serving on a Student Strategy Team?!
Blue and Gray Tour Guide Society is my primary “social” club on campus. When I got to Georgetown, I knew I had to find a club that would surround me with like-minded, passionate Hoyas. That’s why I joined Blue and Gray. And even better, I learned that this group does even more than just give the best campus tours in the whole world. Blue and Gray has “Dinner with 10 Guides” events, discounts at nearby restaurants, baseball game outings and so many more opportunities to bring out your social side.
Similar to Blue and Gray, I am also a lector and Eucharistic minister with Campus Ministry. I love reading at Mass and being surrounded by friends with a similar Catholic background. There are plenty of intramural or club sports teams, cultural and religious clubs, and so many other socially-oriented groups on campus to choose from. Maintaining an active social life is so important when in college, and this is an easy way to achieve that.
At the end of the day, what matters most is that you find something that you are passionate about and can stay active in. Georgetown is known for its active club life, so get involved sooner rather than later! Take advantage of the CAB Fair! Become the next president, board chair or CEO before you graduate!
