The Paladin is a publication that prides itself on content not found anywhere else at Furman. You can’t read Op-Eds on Yikyak, and can’t read about Furman culture or happenings in the Times. Yet, behind the website and print issues, we are a collection of students at the end of the day. Devoid of any output, this is a student organization.

Furman might be student organization heaven. We have plenty of full-time faculty members devoted to management, regulation, budgeting, and implementation of student organizations on campus. There’s an absurd number of organizations period, some active and some not, but certainly enough to captivate and attract the myriad interests walking around the Mall.

This highly inclusive environment when it comes to student organizations is reflected in the student body. Almost everyone is a member of one or two, often contributing to the busy culture we can see on campus sometimes. Freshmen arrive on campus and are blown away by the amount of involvement at the fair or other tabling events outside the library. I remember bouncing like a pinball against the sides of tables outside Trone, my freshman self inundated with the interest shown. It felt incredibly momentous and entirely pivotal. Every different avenue of Carter lay ahead, each one irreparably shaped by the organization and thus community I would work with outside of class.

This momentous feeling is not entirely misguided. What you do outside of class is almost more important than what one achieves inside in college. The socialization that occurs within a student organization is crucial to operating within the workplace. Each one can act as a microcosm for professional atmospheres, albeit one more lax in policy and norms. The politics, planning, scheduling, communication, all are important skills derived from leadership within student organizations. You also may have the chance to work well with faculty and practice a ton of professional communication with them.

Student organizations also can provide a great social base for students coming into college. Organizations should prioritize this culture and act as a welcoming force. Especially for students not arriving from South Carolina or the states around it, this can be so crucial to getting students “plugged-in” and involved within Furman. High levels of involvement and buy-in from students unites them rather than divides them, creating a community that is actually inclusive and healthy rather than one that is too competitive or performance-focused.

The philosophy is not entirely airtight. When organizations value performance more than community, they lose their healthiness and typically provide more stress to students than solace. The politics are taken to a new level, and the community is now a collection of individuals fighting for control of the resources, social power, and professional impact of the leadership positions. We are given so many resources within student organizations to create community, not destroy or control it. Why are we letting this drive to control or power muddle what is so important about student organizations and Furman as a whole?

So you should join a student organization you enjoy. Join several if you wish. Pay attention to how it works and what is prioritized. Assess the community for its health and not how you might benefit from it. Because it can really make or break your experience. Finding a healthy collection of people to work with outside of class is such an important part of college, especially a diverse group that challenges you. What is so precious about college is its willingness to make you uncomfortable, and this is the perfect way to do that.