How to Get Involved
Join an academic club., Join a club that isn't academic., Run for student government., Join a sports team., Join the band, orchestra, or choir., Take an art class., Make different kinds of friends., Know when to ask for help.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Join an academic club.
It's easy to just go to class and then go home.
But if you want to get more out of your school experience, join an academic club at your school.
Each school will have a variety of clubs.
Check out what's available at your school, or consider talking to a teacher about starting your own.
Common academic clubs include:
Math Club Foreign Language Club Geology, Biology, or Zoology Club Drama Club Speech Club Reading or Book Club -
Step 2: Join a club that isn't academic.
Clubs should be fun, not extra homework.
At most schools, even the academic clubs are a blast, but other clubs might be more appealing.
Here's a list of common leisure clubs available at some schools:
Chess Club Video Game Club Dodgeball Club Ultimate Frisbee Club Drill Team Gay-Straight Alliance Knitting Club Film Club , Student government allows students to participate directly in the school community.
All student governments are run differently, but there are a variety of positions available.
Usually, there will be a student council with representatives from all the home-room classes in each grade.
Ask a guidance counselor for more information about student council campaigns at your school.
Ask what you need to do to get involved.
You don't have to be the president to get a good student council experience, and student government isn't a popularity contest.
The kids who get involved are typically pretty involved and pretty dedicated to academics, which means you might feel right at home there if you do too. , Athletic teams help students make friends, get physical, and have fun competing.
If you enjoy playing sports, trying out for an athletic team at your school can be a great option.
Team sports usually include basketball, volleyball, football, baseball/softball, tennis, and sometimes soccer.
If you're not a big fan of team sports, check out other options.
Track and field, cross country, swimming, and other sports are sometimes offered at schools. , Playing music offers a great outlet for all kinds of students.
If you want to learn to play an instrument, you can join band or orchestra and make great friends while you do it.
If you want to be musical without an instrument, the choir is a great choice.
Orchestral instruments include violin, viola, cello, and double-bass.
Band instruments include woodwinds like flute, clarinet, and saxophone, as well as brass instruments like trumpet, trombone, french horn, and tuba.
Percussion is usually also a part of the school band.
Choir is usually divided by vocal range.
Some schools offer performance choirs, which involve dancing, as well as more traditional vocal choirs. , At some schools, the art department is like a separate school entirely.
If you enjoy drawing, painting, photography, or other artistic pursuits, consider signing up for art classes and hanging out with the artsy kids at your school.
This can be a great way to find a community and make art. , Most schools aren't like the movies.
The "jocks" don't just hang out with the jocks.
Real life can be a lot more diverse than what you see on television.
To get involved in your school social life, try to make as many different kinds of friends as possible.
Open up your worldview by having a large and dynamic group of friends.
Hang out with people in your classes, and hang out with people from the clubs or teams you belong to.
Hang out with people from your neighborhood.
Hang out with people from different kinds of families than the one you live in. , At some schools, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle.
If you don't want to be a ghost, it's up to you to reach out and get help when you need it.
Talk to your teachers and get to know them.
Let them get to know you.
Remember, you're at school to learn.
That doesn't just mean book-learning.
Learning how to admit when you're wrong, admit you need help, and figure out what it takes to better yourself are all important school lessons. -
Step 3: Run for student government.
-
Step 4: Join a sports team.
-
Step 5: Join the band
-
Step 6: orchestra
-
Step 7: or choir.
-
Step 8: Take an art class.
-
Step 9: Make different kinds of friends.
-
Step 10: Know when to ask for help.
Detailed Guide
It's easy to just go to class and then go home.
But if you want to get more out of your school experience, join an academic club at your school.
Each school will have a variety of clubs.
Check out what's available at your school, or consider talking to a teacher about starting your own.
Common academic clubs include:
Math Club Foreign Language Club Geology, Biology, or Zoology Club Drama Club Speech Club Reading or Book Club
Clubs should be fun, not extra homework.
At most schools, even the academic clubs are a blast, but other clubs might be more appealing.
Here's a list of common leisure clubs available at some schools:
Chess Club Video Game Club Dodgeball Club Ultimate Frisbee Club Drill Team Gay-Straight Alliance Knitting Club Film Club , Student government allows students to participate directly in the school community.
All student governments are run differently, but there are a variety of positions available.
Usually, there will be a student council with representatives from all the home-room classes in each grade.
Ask a guidance counselor for more information about student council campaigns at your school.
Ask what you need to do to get involved.
You don't have to be the president to get a good student council experience, and student government isn't a popularity contest.
The kids who get involved are typically pretty involved and pretty dedicated to academics, which means you might feel right at home there if you do too. , Athletic teams help students make friends, get physical, and have fun competing.
If you enjoy playing sports, trying out for an athletic team at your school can be a great option.
Team sports usually include basketball, volleyball, football, baseball/softball, tennis, and sometimes soccer.
If you're not a big fan of team sports, check out other options.
Track and field, cross country, swimming, and other sports are sometimes offered at schools. , Playing music offers a great outlet for all kinds of students.
If you want to learn to play an instrument, you can join band or orchestra and make great friends while you do it.
If you want to be musical without an instrument, the choir is a great choice.
Orchestral instruments include violin, viola, cello, and double-bass.
Band instruments include woodwinds like flute, clarinet, and saxophone, as well as brass instruments like trumpet, trombone, french horn, and tuba.
Percussion is usually also a part of the school band.
Choir is usually divided by vocal range.
Some schools offer performance choirs, which involve dancing, as well as more traditional vocal choirs. , At some schools, the art department is like a separate school entirely.
If you enjoy drawing, painting, photography, or other artistic pursuits, consider signing up for art classes and hanging out with the artsy kids at your school.
This can be a great way to find a community and make art. , Most schools aren't like the movies.
The "jocks" don't just hang out with the jocks.
Real life can be a lot more diverse than what you see on television.
To get involved in your school social life, try to make as many different kinds of friends as possible.
Open up your worldview by having a large and dynamic group of friends.
Hang out with people in your classes, and hang out with people from the clubs or teams you belong to.
Hang out with people from your neighborhood.
Hang out with people from different kinds of families than the one you live in. , At some schools, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle.
If you don't want to be a ghost, it's up to you to reach out and get help when you need it.
Talk to your teachers and get to know them.
Let them get to know you.
Remember, you're at school to learn.
That doesn't just mean book-learning.
Learning how to admit when you're wrong, admit you need help, and figure out what it takes to better yourself are all important school lessons.
About the Author
Mark Jenkins
Writer and educator with a focus on practical creative arts knowledge.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: