Every student has heard the phrase “get involved” more times than they can count. But when you think about how much those two words mean, it truly shows how important it is to reach out and take advantage of the many opportunities it bestows. When you get involved, it opens the door to finding your best friends, discovering new passions or career paths, and creating memories that you will remember forever. However, the risk of pursuing many opportunities is that you can be … too involved. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before signing up for an activity, event, or club to ensure your involvement does not reach the point of becoming overwhelming:
Is this going to be a priority in my life?
The first question you should ask yourself when signing up for a new group or event should be, is this going to be a priority in my life?
You have to consider how much of a priority this new venture will be and how it could benefit your career goals and dreams. If the answer is yes, then this will be a great addition to your involvement that will benefit you long-term, and it is worth the extra effort. If the answer is no, you may want to reconsider signing up as there may be another opportunity that will benefit you more individually.
Will this be enjoyable?
The second question you should ask yourself is, will this be enjoyable?
No matter how beneficial or exciting an activity looks to you, if you are not going to enjoy it, then why sign up? We only have so many years as college students, and with the overload of assignments and tests, you do not want to add something to your plate that will only lead to stress and negativity. College is about enjoying your time with your friends, soaking in all of the information you can, and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Your extracurricular activities should contribute positively to these exciting times as well.
Will I be able to balance this with my schoolwork?
The last question you should ask yourself is, will I be able to balance this with my schoolwork?
We all attend college with the goal to graduate and succeed in our academics. With this being said, we can not afford for extracurriculars to be taking us away from advancing in school. If an activity is going to take too much of your time and results in poor academic performance, you may want to stray away from that path, no matter how tempting it is.
When is it too much?
It is always good to take a step back and reflect on your life, and what direction you want to see yourself go towards. This includes reevaluating your daily steps, and the in-between things you may not always think about. This is where you discover signs that show your involvement may not be leading you where you want it to be leading you. Always be on the lookout for signs that can reveal you are “too involved” including lower performance in class, less “me” time, and unneeded stress. Being involved in college or career-related activities can add so much to your overall Clemson experience, just always be aware of the overall effect it is having on your life and your happiness.
