Now that I am in college, I got to find out many many more opportunities here, namely clubs. So I joined these two clubs, one a premed organization since I am a student interested in medicine, and the other a Christian club because I’d like to know the perspectives of particular Christians and how they think about Christianity and the Bible. But I feel like these are boring. Now I have these feelings like I want time to pass by so fast when I am in these clubs. Very disinterested, I am. I feel like I’m not doing really anything: like, just standing for a bake sale or just sitting down and conversing boringly about Luke. I know if I have something that would make me wake up at night, it’d be novels and plays. But I feel like I’m obligated to join a club and be active outside of my dorm in some God-knows-what club. Then I have these thoughts like, “med school admissions bro they need to see a club not a book.” But I know my interest is in reading and I know I can take reading to a whole new level, learning at home, online, maybe spending an hour or two everyday and sharpening not just my reading skills but also getting more involved in literary criticism, perhaps take an online class, or read more diversely, or maybe dig in deeper and do more research on a topic on a specific era like Restoration England or nineteenth century novels.
I would love if I can hear any input about my dilemma. Should I just quit these clubs? I mean, I kinda have already put in some money to support them too, so I feel connected. Yet at the same time I just don’t enjoy them, honestly. I am definitely not gonna lie to myself. But then comes the dilemma of whether I should restrict my interest to my home.
Quit the clubs. Your time is too precious, and unlike volunteering, research, and academics, extracurricular activities are supposed to reflect the interests and aspects of your personality that aren’t expected for a premed student. Hobbies you’re passionate about can be valued in med school admissions too (and you need them to maintain sanity sometimes), so if you’re interested in literature, then pursue that. I’d suggest finding another club that interests you or a way to apply your interests to the world outside your house if possible. Like, I guess you’re into a very specific genre / era of literature, but joining book clubs, joining a theater group, reading to kids in the community, joining a school paper / magazine, or writing a novel are all ways to emphasize that you’re passionate about literature as well.
If you’re bored, find a different club or two to join. One of the great things about college is that you can try out different things. Join something that you might not otherwise and give it a try. There are no wrong ways to do these things. You don’t have to restrict yourself to campus. Check out what’s happening in the community.
But don’t just quit everything extracurricular. A big part of college is learning about the world and yourself in the world, and you can’t do that by JUST going to class and studying. Clubs are also a great way to make friends - who else are you going to be friends with than people who share your interests?
I would recommend clubs that are geared toward consistent volunteering or actively DO stuff. I’m part of 2 clubs that are related to leading/teaching science activities for local schoolchildren and it’s so much fun. Don’t waste your time if you don’t feel like you’re getting anything out of it - in my humble opinion premed clubs are some of the biggest wastes of time. Since you’re interested in literature/writing, maybe there’s some student publication group that you can join? My campus has several student newspapers. We also have a publication club that reviews, compiles, and publishes submissions of undergraduate literature/writing in a journal - you could see if your university has similar clubs. Another commenter’s suggestion about tutoring english/reading skills to kids is a great idea as well.
Since you’re premed, try to find a medical related place to volunteer at. Hospitals, clinics, hospices, even Planned Parenthood etc. are great places to look at. Most hospitals and hospices will have a clear procedure/system set up for prospective volunteers.
