Queen’s lore tells us that roughly 85% of students will get involved in one of our over 200 clubs and societies. It also says that 80% will have volunteered in the community by the time their degree is finished. No one is really sure where these numbers came from and their accuracy is certainly dubious, but the simple fact that they are so widely held is indicative of a pervasive spirit of engagement at this university. Simply put, students at Queen’s are known for their involvement with activities outside the classroom.
This is an intimidating state of affairs indeed for the wide-eyed first-year, fresh from high school, who might never have been on their student council or in a club but who is now bombarded with the consistent imperative to “get involved”—whatever that means.
No doubt there are more than a few questions that pop into the mind of this fearful frosh: If I get involved, will I still have time to maintain a good average? What if everyone getting involved was their high school president—how will I compete? How about a social life?
At least, this was certainly the case for me in my first few weeks at Queen’s. It’s an incredibly intense experience: away from home for the first time, flung into one of the most rigorous academic programs in the country, and of course trying to make those life-long friends everyone keeps telling you about. These worries, combined with the ill-defined behemoth of a concept that is “getting involved,” make for a significant barrier to extra-curricular engagement for first years. By the time I made a conscious decision to try and engage outside the classroom, it was already second semester, and I worried that it would be too late.
But I looked up the VP of the Arts & Science Undergraduate Society and sent him a message. He was more than happy to sit down with me and talk about my situation. He got me started off with the movie theatre the society runs, and—unwittingly, I’m sure—set me on the path to my current position as Vice-President (University Affairs) of the overarching student government at Queen’s, the AMS.
Three years later, I’m now writing in the hopes of urging you to do the same as I did: ask your upper-year student leaders how to get involved. We’re more than happy to answer e-mails, phone calls or tweets, and would love to take the time out of our days to sit down and explain to you how this place works. After all, our hope is that you’ll be filling our shoes in a few years time. And if you’re still worried, I can say from experience that finding a way to get involved outside the classroom is 100 per cent worth the risk. Engaging with extra-curricular activities has by far been the most rewarding experience I’ve had at Queen’s. I’ve had the opportunity to chair a political/philosophical discussion group and organize large-scale lectures and debates with high-profile faculty, become the editor-in-chief of a campus-wide magazine, coordinate volunteers for a campus movie theatre and work on the committee that organizes Arts & Science orientation week—and these are just a fraction of the things you can do at this school.
By getting involved at Queen’s, you’ll get the chance to engage in activities that will give you experiences and skills that you simply can’t find in a classroom setting. You’ll learn how to lead a team of people with different opinions and skill sets towards accomplishing concrete goals–and how to adapt when unforeseen barriers get in the way. You’ll learn to stay organized and on-task so that you can go to that debating tournament and still get your essay done on time. Your political assumptions will be challenged, and you will learn about the importance of civic engagement and activism. The things you learn through extra-curricular involvement will likely influence your life path just as much as your education will.
What’s more, you’ll have a blast while doing it. You’ll meet some of the most interesting and talented people in the country and you’ll develop friendships that will likely last well past your graduation.
In sum, getting involved at Queen’s may be one of the most rewarding and valuable things you do in your time here. And you don’t need to go it alone; those of us who have been through the system are happy and excited to share our knowledge with you, and can point you in the right direction.
All you have to do is ask.
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