Should you join a club or design team in university?

There are so many different clubs and design teams at sfu! But if you’re debating on whether or not you should join one, I have a guide for you. School is already difficult enough, don’t make it harder on yourself if needed!

Helpful Tip 👍My one sentence for determining whether or not you want to commit more in this case would be “don’t bite off more than you can chew”.

If you are trying to decide whether or not you should join a club or design team, go right ahead if you fit ALL of the checkboxes below!

• You are satisfied with your progress in all your courses and your grades

• The position or club you are interested in can fit into your schedule and doesn’t involve material that you are uncomfortable with

• You want to gain relevant experience /improve your resume

Many clubs require dedication and commitment. If you are unsure if you can bring that, I would advise revamping your academic schedule (including classes and study hours) or holding it off until you’ve gained academic and technical knowledge from your later classes (the 200s and 300s SEE courses are very helpful for that!) . 

For me, I joined a design club/team very early on in my first year, and while it is very notable to put on your resume, I thought that for me it wasnt worth all that hassle, especially when my main goal at the time was to get decent grades in my classes while taking 6 courses while the work I was put in was beyond my level of experience and understanding. Joining clubs and design teams (for example team phantom, rocketry, wict) are very rewarding, but at the right cost!