One of the things I looked forward to most before arriving at Harvard was the Activities Fair. I imagined walking through tables filled with student organizations, meeting people who shared my interests, and finding communities where I would grow throughout college.

The fair was exciting, and it did introduce me to incredible organizations. What I did not expect was how overwhelming the entire club hunting process would become. 

For many first-year students, the first few weeks of the semester feel like a race against time. Club applications begin almost immediately. Information sessions fill the evenings. Coffee chats are scheduled throughout the week. Deadlines seem to be due all at once. Every organization encourages you to apply because this is the best time to join.

Just like our visions of further things can provide partial truths, so does planing from the standpoint of today, first because we do not factor in crises that might arise in the future. Sometimes, we humans are tempted to plan without including worse case scenarios, this flaw is very common even with grownup adults, let alone students, now, how is these even relevant here, because Harvard Students aren't immune to these flaws either, The challenge is that club recruitment is only one part of everything happening during those first of weeks of college which means, many things are happening. 

By many things I mean, classes just started, which means readings, assignments, and problem sets are already coming in. Students are still deciding whether to add or drop courses before the deadline. Many are applying for funding, on-campus jobs, winterships, spring break programs, research opportunities, and internships. Those who have already secured campus jobs may also be reporting to work for the first time. It is a season where everything feels urgent, and every opportunity sounds important. Now, that might sound so much. It sure is a lot of information for the same brain to process.

Then there are the emails.
Lots of emails.

Your inbox quickly fills with invitations, reminders, application deadlines, recruitment events, and follow-up messages. At times it feels impossible to keep up. I remember wondering how everyone else seemed to know exactly what they were doing while I was still trying to figure out where my classrooms were. Looking back, I realize that feeling overwhelmed was completely normal. 

Why are you telling me all this information, someone might ask, are you trying to scare me? No, no I am not. 

Psychology finds that exposing your brain and imagining a stimuli before the event happens prepares the brain to receive the stimulus in a better way, had it not been exposed to it. That, said, this serves as a sneak peek of what lies ahead before your ship sails away. Whether this will be you or not, intentionality here can be a skill that guides you on where to allocate your time and energy, between courses and extracurriculars, without burning out. Harvard offers more opportunities than anyone could possibly pursue. Trying to do everything often leads to exhaustion instead of growth. Just as the saying goes, "a master of all is a master of none." 

It is easy to feel pressure to apply for the clubs everyone else is talking about. Sometimes conversations revolve around which organizations are the most selective or the most prestigious. It can feel as though everyone has already decided what success looks like, and you have to follow the same path. That is just an illusion because even the students who join these clubs join them for almost the same or similar reasons anyone one else might want to join the club. At the end, every student is trying to find their way through Harvard. 

A student can be in the most selective of clubs but still trying to find their place and meaning, while others in the smallest of clubs are content and fulfilled. All in all, clubs and student organizations should complement a student's experience and not cause more distress. Easier said than done. It had to take the whole freshman year for these truths to sink in. I was finally comfortable and content in my sophomore fall. And only learned to prioritize my time in my sophomore spring.

All these experiences taught me to reflect and ask myself questions before scrambling for clubs:
Does this organization genuinely interest me?
Will I learn something meaningful here?
Can I contribute to this community?
Does this align with the person I hope to become?
Those questions helped me make intentional and informed decisions rather than blindly following what everyone else was doing.

Harvard is full of extraordinary students, which makes the temptation of comparing yourself to other students seem, but it shouldn't be because no matter how Harvard is full of sea of talents, you are what makes that sea full and every students brings something unique to Harvard and every club they are and will be apart of. Even with this seemingly inevitable temptation of comparison, your college experience should reflect your own interests, values, and goals. Choosing organizations because they genuinely excite you makes it much easier to stay committed and enjoy the experience long after recruitment season has ended.

Club recruitment also introduces students to another reality of campus life. Some organizations have highly selective application processes. There are interviews, multiple rounds, and competitive selection. Rejection can feel personal, especially during your first semester when everything is still new. I implore future students to know that rejections from clubs and organizations do not define your worth. There are countless ways to build community here, even more ways to develop leadership, and make an impact. Some of the most meaningful opportunities I have experienced came from organizations I had never even heard of before arriving on campus.

One of those opportunities for me has been the Harvard Foundation. During Harvard Women's week, I had the honor of giving a speech at the living testimonies and met some of the most amazing women who I am still in touch with till this day. During the Cultural Rhythms Week, I had the opportunity to walk in the Cultural Rhythms Fashion Show wearing a South Sudanese Lawa (a traditional dress) and handcrafted beadwork that represent my country's rich cultural heritage. It was a meaningful moment to celebrate my identity while sharing this cultural aspect with the Harvard community.

Through the Harvard Foundation, I discovered that some of the most meaningful opportunities at Harvard don't require joining another club. They invite you to show up, participate, and contribute to programs that have already been thoughtfully organized by professional staff. With resources provided by the Harvard Foundation you don't have to commit to weekly meetings throughout the semester to find community, or space to contribute to, all you do is just sign up and show your interest to participate.

What I appreciate most about the Harvard Foundation is the people behind it. Every event I have participated in has been organized and supported by professional staff who are approachable, thoughtful, and genuinely invested in students. These opportunities require much less of a time commitment than many student organizations, yet they have been some of the most rewarding experiences I have had at Harvard. Foundation Fridays are another great way to meet students from across campus, build community, and learn about upcoming programs. I have also found the Office of Culture and Community and the Office of Student Engagement to be wonderful resources for campus events, leadership opportunities, and student employment. They reminded me that building a meaningful college experience does not depend on joining the most selective organization.

You will find some of your closest friends in this organization...

You will hear this statement A LOT!!! But are clubs the only place to make friends?

Absolutely not! With no doubt you will meet some of your closest friends through clubs. I did too, but I meet some of my closest friends through classes, campus jobs, my house community, faculty dinners, and conversations that started in the dining hall and summer housing. Clubs are wonderful places to find community. Though they are FAR from the only places where friendships begin.

If I could offer one piece of advice to both prospective and incoming students, it would be this. Give yourself permission to slow down. Read the emails, attend the events that genuinely interest you, and remember that you do not have to pursue every opportunity during your first few weeks at Harvard. The opportunities here are abundant, and many of them will still be waiting for you after the rush has passed. Your goal is not to collect as many commitments as possible. Your goal is to build a college experience that is meaningful to you.

Looking back, I realize the club hunt was never about finding the "right" organization. It was about learning how to choose. Harvard will always offer more opportunities than you can say yes to. One of the most valuable lessons I learned during my first year was that choosing intentionally is just as important as choosing ambitiously.