When you’re looking for a club to join there are a couple of options you can pursue. The first option would be to go to the Student Life office on your campus. They will usually be able to point you to a couple of clubs, but more likely they will also point you to the Campus Labs page here.
Now in the spirit of honesty, the first time I saw the list on the page my anxiety acted up and I instantly clicked away! However, the truth is that Campus Labs is a resource with a lot of potential. I can confirm that Student Life has made sure all the clubs are active which was my primary concern. The lack of an easy way to filter the list is a concern but since there is a search function you’ve got to have an idea of what you’re looking for. We have 35 clubs and organizations at MATC! So don’t be like me and get intimidated with the list, instead charge in there and see what catches your attention!
So, what is the next step? You’ve gone through the list and found a club that catches your eye, say: The Black Student Union. Well thankfully, with the Campus Labs system, you can easily join (there’s a button for it!) and just as easily you can contact them either through your student email at [email protected] or through the contact button on their Campus Labs page. They also have an Instagram linked on their page!
I was actually able to reach out to the BSU and hear back from them right away! They had a Back to School kickoff event on August 29, at 5:30 p.m. They were also the hosts of last season’s adult prom! I can honestly say that I knew nothing about either of these events before reaching out to them, but now I’m looking forward to seeing what they will be doing this coming year!
In future articles, I will talk to the organizers of some of the different clubs and organizations about their upcoming events and how students can get involved with them.
When I started talking to different club organizers, one of my biggest concerns was how to get involved when I work full time and have mental health struggles. One of the clubs that came up with the best answers was the Neurodivergent Network. The Network is a club seeking to offer a safe place for students with physical and mental divergences. As Ms. Fellers, the club organizer said, “We all deserve more than just getting by.” The club is able to meet the needs of its students through remote meetings and things like group chats. Everyone is able to meet and be involved on their own terms as they are able.
We are all students meeting equally in these clubs. We have taken different paths and have different origins but we can come together as friends and clubmates. In order to be the best we can be, we need to first care for ourselves and our personal responsibilities before doing more. Clubs and organizations are a key piece of building community; they help us share resources and give validity to each other’s concerns. Something that Ms. Fellers talked about when we spoke that really stuck with me is how students can often feel like their struggles are their own and because of that they will hesitate to speak up about their needs. Remember, it’s all about finding your best fit.
