Five Steps for Starting a New Club in College

You go to college to mature, to develop you mental faculties and to work on your career goals. Amid all the academic endeavors, you are going to find some distracting, fun-filled ways of enjoying yourself. But with so much already on your plate, what are you supposed to do with your leisure time?

There are countless numbers of activities, groups and associations you can join. You’ll find that the university and surrounding communities offer a wide range of ways to get involved with something. After considering all the different options, you may not find the club that’s right for you.

That’s okay, you have options. If you want to start your own club, here are five easy steps to get your group off the ground.

1. Visit with campus administrators
Go see the bureaucrats in the Student Activities Office. Find all the forms you need to fill out and complete them. Secure signatures from a faculty advisor and other notable campus personalities. Make sure you’ve considered all the requirements that you have to fulfill, and turn your paperwork in for review.

2. Get your friends to sign up
After your club is approved, you’re going to have to find some members. Start by selling the idea to your circle of friends. Tell them that you know how desperately they want to get involved in extra-curricular activities, and let them know that this is their big chance to be part of something new and exciting. If your buddies need more convincing, start creating random titles and distribute them as you see fit. There has to be someone you know who’s always wanted to be vice-president of something.

3. Start passing out flyers and recruiting new members
Once you have your core group of comrades in place, you’re ready to look for foot soldiers. Start printing propaganda leaflets and distribute them around campus. Post these flyers everywhere if you want to dramatically grow the ranks of your club. Exercise more discretion if you want your club to remain smaller and more manageable.

4. Hold cool gatherings and make sure everyone knows what they’re supposed to do
After you’ve swelled your membership; you have to do something social. Organize a get-together, Make sure that everyone in the club knows their role. You don’t want to have all these drinks to serve and no cups to pour them in. Delegate responsibilities. Use this first club meeting to gauge the degree of dedication displayed by your fellow club members. Weed out the ones who don’t seem to be actively engaged in building your club, and for those members who show dedication, give them a title.

5. Make t-shirts so that others on campus know your affiliation
What good is a club if you can’t advertise your affiliation. If you want your club to make a splash, then print some goofy t-shirts and force people to wear them on the same day. Your fellow students will be amazed at how organized and prestigious your start up association has become. If a second wave of people want to join your club, make them purchase a t-shirt first.

Get involved with something. Be associated with more than just individual study time. Be social, make up titles, print t-shirts and flaunt your association. College is about getting out and making connections. Starting a new club is a great way to bring different types of people together who share the same interests.