Sierra Tanzi
Art Director
As a member of The Anchor, I’ve learned the benefits of joining a school organization that I never thought about before. It only dawned on me recently, weeks before I grab my diploma and run for the hills, that I will miss this experience more than I originally thought. I didn’t know how much a school club and everyone who came with it would mean to me until I was brave enough to take the chance and join one. Now, two years and a bunch of experience later, I can confidently say that I’m almost scared to leave it behind.
Joining this organization offered me benefits that extend far beyond the classroom walls. Firstly, it fostered a sense of belonging and community among myself, my classmates and my peers. It provided me with a supportive network of colleagues, whom I would call my close friends, who share similar interests and goals. This sense of belonging is crucial for overall well-being and mental health, as students who participate in extracurricular activities show an increase in self-esteem by 4%. It helps and has helped combat feelings of isolation and loneliness. Extracurricular participation increases students’ sense of belonging within the college community by 17%, which shows that this sense of belonging from school organizations is a shared feeling amongst the college communities.
Additionally, participation in school organizations allows students to develop valuable life skills such as leadership, teamwork, communication and time management. These skills are essential for success in both academic and professional settings, and the hands-on experience gained through extracurricular activities often complements what is learned in the classroom. According to a study by The Ohio State University’s Office of Student Life, “Employers rated the students who had been at least minimally involved in co-curricular activities as more hireable than those who were not involved. Employers rated highly-involved students as more career-ready than minimally-involved or uninvolved students.” Nearly 40% of college students who participate in extracurricular activities report improvement in public speaking skills, which is a testament that clubs and organizations on college campuses are more likely to prepare students for real-world experiences.
I wish I could tell incoming freshmen to join a school organization for the simple fact that “it’s fun” because the truth is, sometimes it’s not. Sometimes, being part of an organization, especially when you get promoted to a leadership position or where you may feel like you’re “on call,” or your workload never ends… it can be stressful and tiring. However, in the long run, that moment when you may get a lot of views on something you’re proud of, or a newfound friend makes you laugh a little too much, or somebody on campus recognized your name from something they’ve seen or read, it’s an experience that a young, wide-eyed student will never forget and it makes the college experience all the better.
As I get ready to grab my diploma and “run for the hills,” as I said before, I think maybe I’ll be looking back more than I thought. I’ll look back at the time I shared with my friends, professionally and personally, and I’ll look back fondly and proudly at the friends I’m leaving behind to keep the organization afloat and strong. I won’t miss Rhode Island College, but I will miss The Anchor and all the people, experiences and lessons that come with it.