Before getting involved in any extra-curricular organizations, whether it be something simple as the floor representative in your dorm, or something serious, like a fraternity/sorority, sports team, or performance group, you need to ask yourself two questions: “Why am I doing this?” and “How will I deal with the effect on my studies?”

Notice, I didn’t say “Will it affect your studies?” because the answer in most cases will be yes. For all of us, there are only 24 hours in a day. Giving even an hour up a week to do something means that there’s something else that won’t be done in that hour. Fortunately, many times there are gaps in our schedule that we can fill, or we can make better use of other available time, so that your grades don’t fall off.

Some students actually need a more rigid schedule, consisting of class times, study times, and activity times, because when they have too much open time they end up wasting it. They need to be occupied and to feel like they have a heavy “to do” list to stay motivated and on-task. Other students may take on a variety of different extra-curricular activities because they don’t know how to say no, and haven’t really sat down to look at their time management schedule or academic goals. They simply get caught up in the whirlwind of things to do, and don’t realize that they haven’t left enough study time until they begin to struggle in their classes. This is why it’s extremely important to think before you do.

You need to think about how much time you’ll need for each of your classes (over-estimate this, don’t cut yourself short), then look at how much time your activities and other things in your life are taking. If you find that you’re spending more time in your clubs and organizations than in the books, or you’re cutting out study time so that you can be at the extra rehearsal or the general meeting, then you need to reevaluate your schedule.

Your activities must have some sort of purpose – either it’s a good stress release, a learning or bonding experience, a social outlet, a professional network, community service, an artistic expression, leadership training, or other reason that’s important to you. Your activities must also be balanced. You don’t need 5 different activities to provide “stress release,” then leave no time for your studies.

Also keep in mind that you may not be able to do everything that you want to do. A performing arts company may be putting on a show that you really want to try out for, but you’ve got to prepare for the MCAT exam or take a really heavy course load. You need to be able to make responsible decisions that focus on your bigger picture, not just immediate desires. You also must reevaluate your pursuits periodically. If you’re a part of an organization but find that it's not meeting your needs, or that it’s become too much of a drain on your schedule, you must make moves to improve the situation – either by adjusting your role in the group, working to change how the group as a whole operates, or even letting go of it all together. Again, you have to make the decision that best fits your goals, based on your situation.