College Firsts: What to do at the Club Recruitment Fair

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During the first week or two at almost every community college and university in the country there is a club recruitment fair. 

Though it can go by a different name, it is essentially an event where all the clubs on your campus set up tables so you can learn more about how to get involved.

Go to your club recruitment fair!

Look on the student life website or your college's event calendar to find out when and where it is and do whatever you have to do to be there (e.g. take off work, go to campus even if you're not usually on campus at that time). 

Then show up.

You can go with a friend if it makes you feel better, but I highly recommend going by yourself so you can focus on the clubs that really interest you and be able to go up and talk to the people behind the tables.

Here are the steps to take to make the most of your club recruitment fair:

1) Leave at least an hour of time for you to walk the entire fair.

2) Walk up to every club that interests you and ask someone behind the table questions. Here are a few to get you started:

• What do you like about being a part of this club?
• When do you guys meet?
• What kinds of events do you have coming up this semester?
• Do you have any officer openings or committees that need involvement?
• What is the best way for me to reach you if I have any more questions or want to get involved?

Be sure to leave every table with clear contact information. 

3) Remember that the people behind the tables want to know you and want you to be a part of their club. Most every club wants to grow their club with people who want to get involved. They will be so excited when you show interest.

4) When you get back home, take out the contact information you collected and decide on the club that interested you the most and with which you clicked best. Contact the person you talked to from that club and volunteer to be on a committee, help with an event, or even be an officer. 

The biggest mistake people make in clubs is waiting too long to get involved. Jump right in and commit fully to one club. Then, once you've done that, consider checking out the meetings of some of the other clubs that interested you.

But remember - it's better to fully commit to one club than to go to the meetings of many. People who accomplish things in clubs are the ones who win the best scholarships, internships, and jobs. 

Be a leader. Trust me, you can do it.