There's more to college than just attending classes and partying. Being involved in sports, student organizations, Greek life, and other clubs is crucial to a complete college experience. With Purdue offering more than one thousand different organizations, there is something for everyone. I highly encourage everyone to participate in one for or another and take advantage of these benefits.

1. You meet new people and friends.

Not only that, but you become best friends with them. You have a support group, mentors, and share a common interest with these people.

2. It's a resume builder.

Even if it's an organization that is unrelated to your major, recruiters definitely acknowledge your involvement. There's been countless times when a potential employer pointed out Ultimate Frisbee on my resume (I'm a Construction Management Technology major-completely out there!).

3. You learn new things.

If it's an organization that you are completely passionate about, or something completely new, you are always learning. It's a way to learn beyond the classroom.

4. You learn more about yourself.

Sometimes, being in a club makes you realize that your passion is somewhere else and makes you rethink your major. Other times, it confirms that you are in the right place.

5. It helps you manage your time.

Having meetings and practices thrown in to your schedule forces you to prioritize your homework. This will translate to better work ethic even later in your career.

6. It's a mental break from school work.

Going to class, completing class work, and thinking about what you are going to do next for class is mentally and sometimes even physically exhausting. Getting your mind on a different subject for a bit is refreshing and keeps you sane.

7. It emphasizes community.

The college experience thrives on building community. From orientation, to living in community dorms, we've been thrown into a community, and it's an important aspect. However, unlike the two previous stated, joining an organization that we're not thrown into allows us to choose how we can contribute to the community.

8. It promotes diversity.

Joining an organization leads to a group of people with a common interest but different backgrounds. It joins people who are in different majors and grades, so it creates a sense of diversity even within smaller groups.

9. It creates opportunities for leadership.

Yes, it is a resume builder, but it's more than that. As a young leader, you learn skills that you'll be able to apply in the real world. And if you're in a smaller club, you have the chance to be a leader and become more involved sooner.

10. Your name will be out there.

Whether your name is on the website or you were interviewed for being part of the organization, it's nice to have something else pop up when you Google your name other than your old Twitter account that you don't use anymore.

11. It's rewarding.

Being in an organization gives you a great sense of pride. It's a great feeling knowing that you are involved and making a difference on campus.

12. It's fun.

This is the most simple way I can put it in words. All of the people you meet, events you attend, and things you learn add up to the four years of fun. College is supposed to be fun, so make the most of it.