As we wait for the return of our regular bloggers in mid-September, we have invited a number of people to guest blog for us. Our first post is from Asma Desai.The MSA is just one of hundreds of clubs you can join.By Asma Desai
End of summer is fast approaching and that can only mean one thing...SCHOOL! aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!! September usually means pens, paper, and lots and lots of BOOKS! But school can mean and should mean a lot more than that. No I'm not talking about libraries or eating (although when I think about school the first thing that comes to my mind is always food!)..I'm talking about clubs! UofT has clubs as diverse as its student population, there are academic clubs, art clubs, leadership clubs, spiritual clubs, athletic clubs and social clubs. ULife has a great list where you'll be sure to find a club that's just right for you!
But..a word of caution: although there is an abundance of clubs please do NOT join each and every one of them. For the faint hearted, that will cause an overload...or it should in theory.
Last year I got involved in the Muslim Students' Association (MSA) and had so much fun at the few events I attended that I decided to run for an exec position. But, before I decided on how involved I wanted to get (i.e. a list-serve member, a regular member, a active member, or an executive member), I considered four things and you should too:
1. Your courseload
How many courses are you taking? Is it a full course load? Are you taking a course that's known for its extremely hard TA? Or a course with 140 pages of readings per class? Or are you taking a "bird course"? Analyze your timetable and see how much time you'll have in a given week after you've allotted time for lectures, labs, tutorials, readings and assignments. If you've got a ton of time, think about taking a more leadership or active role in the club.
2. Your work schedule
So you've finally decided to get a part-time job. Don't forget to include it in your schedule and take out the 5-15 hours a week. If you're not working, you've got nothing to worry about!
3. The club
Make sure its a club that you love! You should agree with the purpose and objective of it and it definitely helps if you're passionate about it. If you're not so sure, there's no harm in trying it out. Attend the first couple of meetings and get a feel for the club and its members.
4. The fun scale
Because you already have school and maybe a job, you really don't want this new commitment to be something boring or, heaven forbid, "work". There's nothing worse than not enjoying what you're doing. For me, when I'm working on MSA things, I'm always having fun, it's never tedious and that's the way this type of commitment should be.
To find out which clubs you would like to get involved in come on out to Clubs Day, Friday September 4th and have a look around! 🙂
Don't forget to check out the Muslim Students' Association's Frosh Halal Meat, which will supplement frosh week provided by your college. It's a great way to learn what the MSA is about and see if it's something you'd like to be involved in...if not take your pick from the one of the other hundreds!
Asma Desai is the General Secretary of the Muslim Students' Association.
4 comments on “Guest Post – There’s More to School than Books!”
Asma, I like the approach you’ve taken to getting involved in extracurriculars. I’ve learned the hard way (but still don’t really use my new-found wisdom) that you have to allot specific amounts of time throughout the week in order to get the most out of everything. At the start of every term I get really excited about all the classes I’m going to take, all the activities I’m going to get involved with, all the books I’m going to read, all the work I’m going to do, etc.- overloading my schedule from the start. So I can really appreciate the first couple notes in your list.
I’m disappointed I read this too late to check out Club Day (oh, holidays), it would’ve been a lot of fun to look around and see what different student groups are up to. Do you know if there’s a list of all the student clubs on campus somewhere?
I think there is another club day on Tuesday, September 8th, at Hart House. Also, Hart House has its Wide Open House on September 16th, and there are loads of clubs/committees to check out at that event.
If you can’t make it to one of the events, go to the UTSU and ask for their handbook on student clubs (there is a copy available at the HUB at Hart House as well). It’s also available here: http://www.utsu.ca/club/clubslist.php
Asma, I like the approach you’ve taken to getting involved in extracurriculars. I’ve learned the hard way (but still don’t really use my new-found wisdom) that you have to allot specific amounts of time throughout the week in order to get the most out of everything. At the start of every term I get really excited about all the classes I’m going to take, all the activities I’m going to get involved with, all the books I’m going to read, all the work I’m going to do, etc.- overloading my schedule from the start. So I can really appreciate the first couple notes in your list.
I’m disappointed I read this too late to check out Club Day (oh, holidays), it would’ve been a lot of fun to look around and see what different student groups are up to. Do you know if there’s a list of all the student clubs on campus somewhere?
Mary
I think there is another club day on Tuesday, September 8th, at Hart House. Also, Hart House has its Wide Open House on September 16th, and there are loads of clubs/committees to check out at that event.
If you can’t make it to one of the events, go to the UTSU and ask for their handbook on student clubs (there is a copy available at the HUB at Hart House as well). It’s also available here: http://www.utsu.ca/club/clubslist.php
That is a *very* comprehensive list. I’ll try to make the one on the 16th, next week. Thanks! And good luck this year in your new position at the MSA.
Asma is awesome! But she never told me she wrote such a great article… This hurt my feelings 🙁