[button color=”” size=”” type=”square” target=”” link=””]A[/button]s we rush through our years of high school, the looming words of our parents to “get involved” fall into the list of chores we claim we’ll do.
It’s so easy to come and go from school keeping nothing but homework and friends on our minds. Doing so, however, we glide past one of the most special aspects of RBHS and miss out on the vast opportunities to investing time in one of the school’s many clubs or extracurriculars.
As commonly known, clubs are one of the strongest resumé builders. To apply to a pre-medical college program and be an active member at the local Future Doctors of America (FDA) seems like a great way for colleges to notice you. With such a large variety of clubs offered at RBHS, no field is excluded when considering, exploring and learning about future careers due to the sheer number of student led activities held at RBHS.
Despite the validity and usefulness of joining a school organization for the sake of bulking up a resumé, getting involved in extracurriculars can offer a whole lot more than just an impressive transcript. Being involved not only heightens a sense of school spirit (or so administrators say), but more importantly, it can help students realize their interests and point them in the right direction in achieving our goals.
By going out and finding what you may enjoy, different career fields and opportunities may make themselves apparent and new interests can develop.
Aside from future aspirations, many clubs such as Rock Bridge Reaches Out (RBRO) and Global Issues offer a chance to impact not only our community, but those around the world. By volunteering time into these extracurriculars, students can change their home towns for the better. A variety of these volunteering clubs are available to students that try and make the community more clean, safe and enjoyable.
Throughout the past two years I’ve spent at RBHS, I’ve avoided doing anything other than going to class and the occasional football game.
I watched my friends come and go from RBRO, Speech and Debate, robotics and just about every other meeting. My thought was always, “I don’t belong to this or that,” or “I don’t need the extra work.” Putting aside the feeling of not belonging, joining was one of the most daunting things I could think of. Having to put myself out there with strangers for the first time seemed nearly impossible. On top of that I was clueless as to where to begin looking for things I might like.
I soon realized that a lack of will and motivation were my only real setbacks in getting involved. The quickest of searches on the school web page brought me an entire list of clubs with presidents and sponsors listed for me to go talk to.
With so many options, it’s easy to get intimidated or feel like you don’t belong, but it’s important to keep in mind that they’re there for people to join. Clubs are created and maintained to entice us students to join and learn about things outside of the basic curriculums.
Whether that be joining the ultimate frisbee team or learning to design and program your own robot in the robotics club, every student can find something that fuels their passions and skills.
With more than 50 clubs offered at RBHS, it’s important for even the most shy students to get out there and find what they love. Don’t let a lack of confidence or motivation ruin a chance to find an undiscovered passion or skill.
As RBHS students we are fortunate to have access to such an impressive repertoire of activities, and should try and utilize them for both personal and communal reasons.