Page 23 - University of California at Los Angeles Insider

Lea later recognized that she missed out. She didn’t want her daughter
to make the same mistake, so last
year when Allie started college, Lea encouraged her to get out of her comfort zone and get involved. Allie did just that and plugged into a campus social club. A year later Allie is thriving. She has made a lot of new friends
and feels connected and at home on campus.
Students can continue interests they enjoyed in
high school.
Did your student play a sport in high school? Serve in student government? Was your student an avid hiker, dancer or volunteer? Chances are there are clubs on campus to fit these interests or take one and spin it in a new direction.
Drew played basketball in high school, but after four years of intense competition was relieved that the
pressure was off and happy to put his hoops days behind him. Then in college his friends encouraged him to sign up for intramural basketball. In this more relaxed atmosphere, Drew found that he enjoyed the sport more than he ever had before.
New passions await!
College is the perfect time for your student to try out something new. Maybe your daughter always wanted to write for the school newspaper but never had time. Your son wants to try theater or fencing, ballroom dancing or karate. The great thing about college
is that learning isn’t confined to the classroom. Extracurricular activities are a way for students to learn more about themselves.
Campus involvement
can provide career prep experience.
Freshmen and sophomores typically focus on activities that will help them get acquainted and have fun. For upperclassmen, activities like student government, student-directed media, professional clubs, volunteer work and internships can provide job-related skills and experience.
As a senior, Alan served as a Resident Assistant. This turned out to be far more than just a way to reduce his room and board bill. His mom Pamela said that being an RA helped Alan develop as
a leader and brought out his desire
to help others. In part because of this experience, Alan gravitated to a career as a police officer.
Campus involvement is an important part of the overall college experience. Encourage your student. Don’t push. Keep in mind that making independent decisions, and even mistakes, is a crucial part of becoming an adult.
And that, of course, is one of our main goals for our students during their college years.
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