Vy: Choosing the “right” club(s) to join might be overwhelming, especially if you have many clubs already in your mind. It’s good to first narrow down what you really want to do, go to their meetings, and check out the clubs’ environment. Don’t worry if you can’t join them all at once, you still have a lot of time to do so later on throughout your years at UCI.
Khanh: Clubs are a great way to get involved, meet people, make connections, and explore your interests. This does not happen to everyone, but did you ever join a club in high school/ go to a meeting with a friend to maybe avoid the awkwardness of being there by yourself? With college, I learned that it is ok to go randomly to a club meeting by yourself because your friends might have a different interest because you’ll eventually connect with someone who shares the same interest. They’ll push you out of your comfort zone and introduce you to new experiences. There are a lot of different clubs with the same purpose, but find the club within that group you can vibe with. Don’t spread yourself too thin, however, and time manage wisely so you can stay involved in the club.
Britanny: I only joined one club in my freshman year, but I will say that it’s not the quantity that makes clubs meaningful; the people you meet and the environment they create is what makes clubs worthwhile. Be sure to attend the Anteater Involvement Fair that happens at the start of each quarter because it helps you see all that UCI has to offer in terms of student organizations. Don’t be afraid to try something new because joining clubs isn’t like it is in high school; in college, you join clubs to meet people, build connections, and learn more about yourself.
Michelle: I joined two clubs: Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Engineering Student Council (ESC). SWE is a club that supports women in engineering, however it is open to any and all genders, and provides many networking resources and great tips in navigating the engineering field. I was more involved in ESC, however, which is the official organization that umbrellas the other engineering clubs. I am now a Public Relations Director for ESC, yet my advice with clubs is going to the Anteater Involvement Fair, where just by strolling through you can gain a sense of the diversity and immense amount of clubs that there are. My strategy is gaining information about any club that sounds interesting to me, however many that may be, and then focusing on one or two that you absolutely loved. The more invested you are in one, the better your experience is going to be rather than being involved generally in many.