My post-secondary life has been full of transitions and lessons. I’ve learned a lot about myself, my preferences, what I like, and my skills. But other than academics, I learned another important lesson.
You see, before we enter university, college or even an apprenticeship, most of us are taught to conform. Teachers push us to join clubs, and our parents enroll us in these after-school lessons. We may not enjoy these activities, but, in the end, we all feel pressured to partake in them. After all, someone’s telling us that if we don’t sign up, we will be missing out.
So, in high school, we join as many extracurriculars as possible; we spread ourselves as thin as a tablecloth, trying to cater to the needs of the institutions we are applying to.
Then, when we enter university, it seems as if all of our previous efforts have changed. Many of us no longer prioritize joining clubs. Nowadays, we’d rather spend time improving our networking skills, joining tutoring sessions, or volunteering around campus.
However, even then, our decisions are based on what others are doing around us. If we see classmates joining bootcamps, we feel pushed to do so. And when we see our classmates sign up for networking events, we decide to do that as well.
As a business student, I see many of my classmates joining workshops and bootcamps and attending networking events. Some have joined industry-specific clubs, such as student societies within the business department. Some are already starting to make big moves to obtain their summer internship.
Hence, I still feel as if I’m missing out on university.
I feel that I need to capitalize on my skills and knowledge as a business student. So, I should join a club related to the field that I’m studying. At the same time, I also know that I have many other obligations. So, I shouldn’t focus on joining too many extracurriculars.
Simultaneously, I always ask myself, Should I really join a business club? Or am I just joining for the sake of joining a club related to the field I’m studying?
While I ask myself these questions, I realize that instead of following what others are doing, it’s more important to focus on your own path in university. This can mean joining the clubs of your interests or starting new initiatives or passion projects on your own.
There are multiple success stories of future entrepreneurs who started their own websites or companies in university just because they wanted to follow their own path.
So, in the end, instead of following what others are doing, it’s better to follow what your heart tells you to do. You should join a club because you enjoy doing the activities, not because other people told you to do so. That way, you can cater your experience to your own path and carve your success story without worrying about others.
At the end of the day, it’s always better to put yourself and your own needs first.