Clubs
One of the most underrated ways of being involved in STEM is school clubs, and they lie right at your feet. Whether you're discovering new interests or looking to make new friendships, school clubs are a great place to be. Read below to find out how to decide which clubs to join and how to start clubs at your school.
The Basics
What clubs are
School clubs are typically student-led organizations on a designated topic with a teacher as a sponsor, who more or less oversees the activity. Most schools have an endless amount of clubs, many of which meet during lunch, designated club time, or after school. Some clubs may have 50+ active participants at big schools, and others have just a few members.
What they look like
Nearly every club will look different in some form, but many have similar qualities. Clubs that act as a school's local chapter of a larger organization, like DECA or Model UN, will meet to prepare for local or national competitions with a chance to place high and get awarded. Other clubs may have projects, discussions, games, or simply a place for people with the same interests to be around each other and make new connections.
STEM Clubs
STEM clubs vary in how they operate based on the STEM discipline, leadership, and the school where they are located. Many will have some sort of experiment or project, mainly science or engineering-based clubs. Others, like math or computer science clubs, might enter into competitions where they compete as a group. Some clubs will also offer tutoring sessions to members or organize sessions where members tutor non-members.
Why they're important
Clubs have an endless amount of benefits, with limited downsides. First, clubs will allow you to experience new fields and ideas without putting as much commitment compared to signing up for a class or an extracurricular program. Second, clubs allow you to connect with people who have the same interests as you, allowing you to create a network of people that you can learn from and interact with. Third, clubs are easy ways to apply your interests and hobbies and allow you to do so with a varying amount of commitment. Lastly, clubs allow you to show interest and dedication to colleges, depending on how active you are in the club.
Which ones to join
If you're wondering if you should join a STEM club, it's best to join at least one to test what it looks like. If you're very interested in a specific field already, join a club associated with that field as early as possible to rise through the ranks of leadership. If you're unsure about what you're looking for and have the time to do so, try to attend a meeting of as many STEM clubs as you can to see which ones you'll enjoy. On top of that, it's just as beneficial if you look outside of STEM to explore other clubs at your school.
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Leading Clubs
As a leader in a club, you get many of the same benefits as being a member, but with some extra benefits as well. Your experiences are going to help you be a better leader, a skill that will help you for the rest of your life. Additionally, leading a club looks stronger on a college application than being a member, helping you bolster your extracurriculars.
Rising through the ranks
There are 2 ways of joining the leadership of a club, and one of the methods is rising through the ranks over time. The way leadership is handed down over time in pre-existing clubs is either through elections or current leaders picking future leaders. Both methods will require you to be known in the club, which requires connections and dedication. It often helps if you join the club during your freshman year or as soon as it's created, as this gives you more time. Though this often might not go your way, the effort put into making connections will rarely ever go to waste.
Starting a club
The other method of joining the leadership of a club is simply making a new one. Though this might seem difficult, it's easier than it seems. The process starts by finding something you're interested in that doesn't currently have a club associated with it. Next, you'll often want to find partners to help you with leadership and find a teacher to sponsor if your school requires it. STEM fields often will have holes in terms of clubs at your school, so if you're interested in something like 3-D printing or astronomy and your school doesn't have a club already, don't hesitate to start a new club.