Getting Involved

Most students come to Penn filled with energy and eager to become a part of the many vibrant and wonderful clubs and organizations on campus. While this is a great attitude, I distinctly remember a key piece of advice I received before my first year, which has served me well throughout my four years here. “Go and explore, but be selective, you don’t want more on your plate than you can handle.” This couldn’t be more true. It is great to explore your interests and hobbies, and especially try out new things. You meet so many people, and you test out whether something is right for you. But being picky is crucial, it helps you sieve through what you truly care about and enjoy, and it also keeps your schedule from becoming overwhelming, which can be detrimental to your involvement and performance in any one individual club or organization. Again, this is not to say you should not try out new things and that those may be many, but always be aware of how much you can add on, and use that to guide your decisions. As always, talking to others about your plans and dilemmas is always a good way not only to get some feedback, but by verbalizing your thoughts you can make them much clearer on your own. 

-Humberto C.