Imagine you’re a new student, drowning in a sea of new and unfamiliar faces and unsure of where you could fit in or how you could make friends. Then, you come across a flyer advertising a club that discusses topics you’re interested in, or advertising a safe space to create and express yourself in artistic and practical ways. You finally have a place to meet new people and potentially form lifelong relationships here. Here, you belong.

Although not everybody socializes with other students in mutual clubs, having a safe space to be with like-minded people and to express yourself is still just as important and needed as social relationships. Clubs open students up to new opportunities to be themselves and be social (if they want to, of course), as well as learn new skills or open up their minds to accept different ways of thinking or feeling, among other benefits as well.

However, some schools don’t even allow clubs (even some universities!) which could stunt the number of friendships created and cause the campus to feel barren and isolated, as well as prevent school spirit. In some cases, joining a club in college is added to your resume and boosts your chances of being employed in jobs that look for social and likable people. Also, getting to know people and forming relationships makes networking much, much easier later on in your life.

Schools without clubs typically have students who feel isolated or lonely, and finding similar people to befriend is made much harder when there’s no space with people you relate to. But this leads to more loneliness, fewer friend groups, and a less happy atmosphere with less happy students.

Of course, clubs are 100% optional, but having the option to be with those similar to you is much more valuable than one may think, and overall underappreciated by both students, parents, and staff members.

As perfectly said by Norco High freshman and GSA member Nathaniel Johnson, “Having somewhere safe with people you can relate to is really important, it’s helped me a lot mentally and made me less shy. I’ve become friends with so many kids I never even knew went to school with me, just from joining a club.”

From a similar standpoint, Roosevelt High senior and Key Club member Alyssa Wong exclaimed, “Being in a club is awesome, being part of something with other people is a great experience, you meet so many new and different people and get to make friends and experience things like social events and club meetings together, you’re all part of a big team.”

Being able to experience new situations, gain new skills, and create new relationships is such a valuable part of the human experience, made easy by school clubs. If you’re interested in joining a club, do it! You’ll experience so many fun and different situations and be able to put yourself out there and enjoy your hobbies and interests in a safe space with different, yet similar, groups of people.