North Texas Daily

With over 400 organizations on campus, finding the right fit for you and your interests can seem overwhelming.

You may be interested in a lot of different things. You may be interested in only one thing. But there’s a variety of just that one thing. You may just want to meet new people or learn something new. You may want to build your experience for your résumé before graduation.

Whatever the reason, knowing how to properly choose and manage organizations is important.

Student organizations teach you time management. They teach you leadership and teamwork. They can teach you something you never knew before. It is important you get involved during your undergrad for experience. Taking advantage of all resources offered is the first step when you step foot on campus.

There are academic, professional, performing arts, cultural and international, graduate student, greek, honorary, religious, residence hall, community service, political, sports, gaming, student government and many other university sponsored organizations.

There is quite a wide variety of categories to choose from.

The first step to deciding which organizations to join is asking yourself how much time you have to actually invest. As I am sure your parents will tell you – academics come first. Choosing too many organizations can put a stint in school success. A method to apply is the rule of four and three. It goes,”if life’s a bore, then choose four, but the key is always three.”

Three organizations is a good minimum in your UNT experience for one semester. Especially if you have a heavy course load of work, and most freshman will be taking 15 hours. Joining four organizations should be the maximum. Now of course there are people who make it work so it just depends who you are and what you are willing to put into your college experience.

Do not be afraid mix it up when you’re choosing organizations. A solid method is always having one or two for your career field, one you have a second passion for and one which can teach you something completely new. Joining professional organizations helps you grow in your field as you go along in your major and helps you make connections.

Choosing an organization for a second passion could be something geared towards your minor or another love which has nothing to do with your major. Cannot find an organization for you? Start your own. It is really that simple if you want to make it work.

Third – time manage for your organizations. Think about what you want out of every organization you join. Do you want to be an active member? Do you want to be on the executive board? Time management is tremendous in putting down events in your calendar along side your homework and assignments. You don’t want to have to quit on an organization because you did not realize before you would not have time for it.

Lastly – you can switch it up. If you are one of those people who like to be interested in different things, you can join new organizations every semester. Do not be afraid to change it up if it is not working for you.

College is about broadening your horizons. The people and things you do through joining student organizations is the perfect way to do just that.

Featured illustration by Theresa Sanchez