By Mesha Mittanasala | Photographer
During Late Night, Baylor’s campus was lined up with poster boards, handouts, buttons, candy, T-shirts and conversations recruiting students to join different student organizations.
Baylor currently has 400+ recognized student organizations and although you can’t join every single organization, it is imperative to join ones that are outside your area of study or future career plans.
College is more than completing the requirements for your degree and building your career. It’s about exploring your interests and participating in activities that bring you the most joy. And if there’s any time in your life to pursue side quests, it would be when you’re in college.
Currently, I am a senior University Scholar major studying political science, economics and ethnic studies on the pre-law track. I joined the Lariat as a photographer the week before my freshman year started with zero experience. I couldn’t be more grateful that I stepped outside my comfort zone and pursued my interest in photography.
Even though I learned that journalism isn’t for me, I can now use a camera, edit photos, produce a newspaper, manage my time, solve problems and take on heaps of responsibility. I have also made the most incredible friends.
I’ve been able to take these skills and use it to take senior portraits of my friends and photos for my sorority. I’ve gotten to express my skillsets through my experience shooting sports photos and covering the 2024 election during internship interviews.
If there is one thing that I’ll tell people about my college experience, my time at the Lariat will definitely be mentioned. The Lariat has definitely been one of my greatest blessings from Baylor.
The older we get, there more responsibilities we acquire. As we start working 9-5’s, it will get harder and harder to find a community that shares niche interests with us.
Focusing on extracurriculars outside your career path gives you a fun outlet to rest your brain from your intense coursework and prevents burnout.
The EU Business School finds students that participate in recreation clubs “report higher levels of overall well-being and campus satisfaction.”
These clubs can foster a sense of inclusion and identity for students, especially first year students.
Activities that fall outside your intended career path can also help you achieve your post-graduate goals. By being committed to a student organization, you reflect passion, time management and leadership. You can develop hard and soft skills that you wouldn’t be able to do if you were in your career bubble.
The National Association of College and Employers finds, that most majors don’t align with a specific industry. Thus, developing a robust, interdisciplinary skill set can give yourself an edge and help you be prepared for any job that comes your way.
Additionally, pursuing interests outside your study area would make you stand out to employers and graduate schools. Doing so can spark genuine conversations during interviews and networking opportunities.
You’re only in college for four years. You never want to look back and regret not exploring an interest you have. So, when looking at your calendar and Baylor Connect for organizations to join, apply for ones that are unrelated to your career path. It might turn into your greatest blessing. And a place like Baylor, you can definitely find a home in your most niche interests on campus.
