At SP Jain School of Global Management, top ranked Australian business school – I take care of global learning and student life in Dubai – that looks adding that extra value to students outside the classroom. This article is about how students need to recognize and seize opportunities that can shape to be better global leaders of tomorrow.
With classes, seminars, tutorials, exams, social life and more, students have quite a lot on their plate. So, why would you want to add something more onto your list by joining or starting a student club/organization? Well, you would do so simply because it makes you a well-rounded individual — one who’s ready to take on their future career!
Here are top reasons why joining student clubs are a crucial aspect of any student life and the long-term benefits that can be reaped when students invest time in them.
- Gain self-awareness
Life at university gives you ample opportunities to learn more about yourself, your goals, your strengths and your areas of improvement. It provides you with a chance to get out of your comfort zone and push your limits. You get to test your knowledge and gain experience to handle different situations outside of the classroom. You get to find out what you’re good at and what you like, and experience new interests in a safe environment. This self-awareness helps build character and personality and aids development, both personally and professionally.
- Boost your social skills amongst a diverse peer group
Your time in university is one where you must practice and hone your soft skills that will allow you to interact effectively with people from different cultures and countries. Focus on good communication skills, attitude, and work ethics. Exposure to diverse individuals and large groups helps in broadening your existing skillset while sprucing up your emotional intelligence as well.
- Teamwork makes the dream work
While focussing on your individual work is important, working in collaboration with others, without letting your ego reign, is equally important. By joining a student club, you learn how to work in teams in different situations, just like you will later in the corporate world. You will find yourself being self-motivated to test your listening and decision-making skills as well as response and reaction to situations outside the classroom as you work towards a common objective with your club members.
- Develop your leadership skills
Student clubs and organisations offer plenty of opportunities to develop leadership skills. Be a part of the student council, take an active lead in a committee, initiate a club or event of student interest. Accepting challenges and taking responsibility are integral to becoming a good leader. By pursuing such opportunities, you can build confidence by working on your public speaking, problem-solving and management skills.
- Build an enviable network
Joining a student club allows you to meet and work with a wide network of like-minded people. You get a great platform to interact with faculty, staff and alumni, thereby increasing your networking opportunities. Building a strong network always comes in handy in future when you are looking for a job or need assistance in your area of work.
- Experience on-the-job application of classroom concepts
By joining student clubs, you get an ideal platform to apply classroom concepts to real-life situations. You get to test your skills in project management, event planning, fundraising, finance and more in a safe environment, where making mistakes is not going to cost you your job. Instead, it will help you learn from your mistakes.
- Use it as a creative vent
With so much academic work going on, taking part in a club serves as an excellent way to take a (necessary) break and use it as a creative vent to explore skills you wouldn’t normally do in a classroom setup. Not only will you dabble in various creative activities that can help you discover a hidden passion, but you will also be able to experience personal growth. You are free to start a club based on your interest and get peers to be a part of it too.
- Spruce up your CV
A CV that shows your participation in student organisations as a founder and/or active member acts as an impressive quality for prospective employers. They will see you as a hard worker who is willing to take initiative and can handle multiple responsibilities. The additional skills, qualities and knowledge you gain as a member of a student body portrays you as someone who will be able to adapt well to a robust workplace. And if that’s not enough, your experiences in organising a Model UN, TEDx or a business or cultural event will add to the quality of conversation in your interviews with prospective employers.
- Friendship and fun
One of the most basic reasons to join a student club is to have fun. Being part of student organisations will help take the stress off your studies, assignments and exams. It allows you the opportunity to meet new people, build friendships and broaden your knowledge. You will create memories that you will cherish forever as you make the most of your student experience at your institution.
The original article has been published on SP Jain Blog – click here to read
Megna Kalvani 