By this point in the year, it makes sense to feel secure in your responsibilities and commitments, but that doesn’t mean there is no time to start getting involved with other groups.

Joining clubs and organizations on campus can be good for more than finding something to do with your free time.

The biggest reason I recommend joining clubs or societies on campus is to better your resumé. Not only can officer positions or volunteer work with the groups show leadership and dedication, but certain skills or knowledge acquired from clubs can be applicable to jobs or internships.

Two summers ago I, a forensic science and music double major, ended up as a business intern at an engineering company. If it wasn’t obvious enough, I didn’t get the internship because of what classes I had taken.

One of the women in the group interviewing me had previously been the head of a writing company, and so we got into a conversation about my contributions to The Crier.

She took interest in the movie reviews I was writing being a film lover herself and that I had recently been offered the position of Opinion Editor.

Despite the fact that I was not even being interviewed to be her intern, that is the position I was offered soon after.

Part of the job included interviewing dozens of people in the company and editing reference documents, both journalistic skills developed in my then two years writing for The Crier.

Being part of a club shows engagement in a topic other than what is required to graduate, which is appealing to employers especially when they have similar interests. It can also be a way to get to know more students who are into the same things you are.

I would like to address the freshmen reading at this point. Around this time and in the coming months, you may notice that it is unfortunately common for friend groups made early on in your college lives to fall apart.

There is little time to transition from total strangers to people who spend all of their free time together, and you may realize that some of the people you eat every meal with aren’t really your type. If you suddenly find yourself in need of friends you feel more comfortable around, a campus organization based on your interests could be the place to look.

Just because it is long past the club fair does not mean it is too late to join a new club.

If an organization sends out a student-wide invitation to a particular event, chances are they expect people to use that event as a gateway into the group. More members mean more people to help out with volunteer events and a greater chance of the club living on for more years.

Each club on campus also has an email address controlled by its officers. If you haven’t seen any emails from a club you are interested in joining, you can reach out to them and ask about meetings.

Now, of course, is promotion time. The Jazz Band, the other club I participate in, may have had two performances already this semester, but we are still open to all musicians who want to join. If you like playing Christmas music we are preparing for holiday concerts.

And of course, the Opinion section, as well as the rest of The Crier, welcomes new writers at any time. Feel free to develop your writing skills here. Your future job could depend on it.