By Allison Rumsas
As Scripps students, it is in our nature to be as involved as possible. Thankfully, Ohio University has hundreds of organizations that are always looking for PR or advertising help, making the options endless for a strategic communications major. With these endless opportunities it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the never-ending meetings and group projects. So, to keep you on top of your game, here are a few tips to help you not get too swamped while also maximizing your experience within an organization:
Look out for emails from your specific college. The involvement fair is an easy way to see all the organizations on campus at one time, but if you’re stuck looking for an organization to join in the middle of the year, keep an eye out for emails. I am constantly getting emails from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and different organizations about meeting times and any and all upcoming events. In most cases, the organization’s contact information is listed and you can email them for more detailed information about their organization.
Research. Google all the different organizations that you are interested in. Most of them should have websites and several social media accounts that you can start to follow and explore. Check out the work they did last year and the different opportunities they have for the members of the organization. Keep in mind what you hope to get out of an organization and how much time you are willing to invest in an organization.
For the love of Ohio University, check your email! Remember that these organizations are run by students, so be patient when waiting for an email response! They have one email to pitch an organization to you, so although it might be long, it will have a ton of information about meeting times and goals for the semester and year. See if their meeting times will fit into your schedule and if their goals line up with yours. These could be the determining factors of whether or not you decide to become a member of that organization.
Now it’s time to choose. Now that you have received some more information about the organization via email and have looked into the work the organization has done, you can pick an organization, or organizations, that would be best for you. But remember, the more organizations you join, the more stressed and spread thin you will be. I think that this is the time to be picky in your college career and choose one or two organizations that you think will benefit you the most and that you can grow with throughout your entire college career.
Get the right amount of involved. The first couple of weeks in a new organization can be a bit overwhelming, but remember to have an open mind! Go to all the meetings you can and sign up for sub-committees or any opportunities to provide extra help. The more you sign up for, the more work you have to do, so start slow, you don’t want to stress yourself out by signing up for too much at one time! And never be afraid to reach out to members of the executive board if you have any questions or need any guidance.
Being involved in college and community life is an essential aspect of your resume that employers will notice when you’re looking for an internship or job. Instead of spreading yourself too thin in multiple organizations, stick to a couple that you are passionate about and can see yourself growing with throughout your college career. In my opinion, it is better to be more involved and have more responsibilities in one or two organizations, than to be running around campus trying to attend five different organization meetings per night.
If you’re still looking to get involved with PRSSA, join us tonight in Scripps 111 at 6 p.m. We always welcome new members!