To Be or Not to Be…How Getting Involved on Campus Can Benefit You

Could switching to Geico really save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance? Is State Farm really there for you like a good neighbor? Are you really in good hands with Allstate? My answer: I do not know. Good thing for you, I am not here to insure you. I am however, here to assure you that being involved with various activities while here at Georgia Southern University can dramatically increase your chances of landing a job upon graduation.

Being involved on campus has numerous benefits.

• Firstly, it makes transitioning from high school to college a lot easier. For many, entering an educational establishment right out of high school with over 20,000 students is a huge transition. By getting involved with campus activities, you are more likely to meet students in a relaxed environment, which is healthy. This will assist with easing the tensions that come with the huge transition from high school to college.
• Getting involved will allow you to meet new people and establish friendships with students who share similar interests to yours. Being around students who share your beliefs, interests and values will help reinforce your established values. This network can also serve as a place of comfort and support. Ultimately, building friendships will enhance your overall college experience.
• Involvement increases student retention rate. Studies show that retention rates in college are influenced by not only academic factors, but by non-academic factors as well. There is actually research suggesting that students who have an adequate balance between the two, ultimately do better both academically and socially than students who do not.
• If you are looking for cultural enrichment and exposure to diverse groups of people, you will find exactly what you’re looking for! Being involved will expose you to all types of people; some who have beliefs unlike your own. This will expand your thinking and teach you how to deal with people who are dissimilar to you.
• College is all about networking. Being involved on campus allows for all types of networking opportunities that you probably could not receive anywhere else. Take advantage of it!
• Last but certainly not least, being involved will ensure that you have ample to put on your resume! It has been said that your college days are the best days of your life. So go ahead; enjoy it all! Before you know it, you will be sitting behind your laptop applying for graduation. After this, you will be applying for jobs; real life jobs in your field of expertise. 

Wouldn't you like to have a resume that speaks highly of your skills and experience? After all, your resume is the one time you have to sell yourself on paper. If you can manage to impress an employer by just one sheet of paper, you can land an interview! Once your “foot’s in the door”, so to speak, you can use your charm and years of Georgia Southern education to get you the job! To be involved, or not to be. You choose.

Keisha Francis

Career Educator