On the 4th and 5th of October, 60 clubs at Foothill College welcomed students of different backgrounds and interests to explore the various extracurricular activities that they offer. These clubs represent many different interests, namely: the arts, sciences, social sciences, simply socializing and much more.

They are a good representation of the diversity of our students, and accommodate many personalities. If you missed Club Day or didn’t find anything that resonated with you at first glance, now might be the perfect time to get out of your comfort zone and try new things.

Of course, there are also some students that might not be so keen on joining a club. We at The Script fully sympathize with your groans as you read this. That is why it is important to address some of the more obstinate “count me out!” mindsets around clubs. Hopefully, this will provide some new insight on the matter.

1. “I don’t want to get involved in clubs because the time commitment seems daunting.” Well, let me start by saying if there’s anything college students should learn about time commitment it’s that: joining a club might actually keep you grounded. In college, compared to high school, there is more “free” time as we don’t have a strict Monday through Friday schedule. Given this freedom, we can sometimes be reckless with our time management. (Netflix anyone?) However, if you join a club it might actually help you stay vigilant with how you use your time instead of mindlessly squandering it away. Just like treating a snake bite with more venom. Or something. It might encourage you to get your work done earlier, e.g. before your club meetings and/or responsibilities. If you’re concerned about your schedule becoming too hectic with too many meetings, there are also clubs such as “We Care Club,” that only meets once at the beginning of every quarter and has one to two volunteer opportunities per quarter. Or, like the well-known “Global Brigades” club that meets before the fall quarter begins, during their preparation time for a trip to Central America.

2. “It’s only my first quarter, I don’t want to get too involved.” Actually, first quarter is the perfect time to get involved! This is a good time to apply to all the clubs that interest you, and see which clubs feel that you can commit the most time to in the long run. And for all you eventual transfer students, universities love seeing long-term commitment. If you managed to stay consistently active in the club you joined from your first quarter, your dedication will be acknowledged on your application. Even if you don’t plan on transferring, starting early allows you to learn to balance your extracurricular activities and your classes. There are also some really cool new clubs starting this quarter, like the Surf Club. Santa Cruz is just a few miles away! Or if you are interested in something more cerebral (quite literally), you could check out the neuroscience club. They’re planning on using cockroaches for their upcoming experiment!

3. “People only join clubs for fun, it’s not going to prepare me for the ‘real world’.” Actually, joining a club opens up the door to a lot possibilities and opportunities; chief among them being the chance to interface and form connections with other Foothill students, Foothill staff and admin, and perhaps even professionals in your field! The Women in Stem club, for example, has one member who received an internship offer from one of the speakers they had at a Women in Stem event. There are many other major-based clubs like Dental Hygiene, Business, Engineering, Computer Science, and many more!

If you’re still not convinced on joining a club, and believe that your time is better spent on individual things, then by all means, go focus on your personal growth! Clubs are here to help and, if you’d like, The Scripts office doors are always open if you’d like club recommendations or to perhaps join us (we’d love to have you). Good luck on all your endeavors in this upcoming quarter! We hope you’ll take a chance and go to the next meeting of that club you thought seemed super cool.

Have questions about a club or want to join? Email Ebrahim, VP of Clubs, at [email protected].