26	Start an on-campus club

There’s no denying that college is a wonderful place to expand your mind and discover new passions. But sometimes discovering those passions requires a little investment of time and energy from you and your fellow students. Starting an on-campus club is a great way to find people who are interested in the same things you are and explore those interests together. You can build a club around just about anything, from film appreciation to food appreciation, to speaking Klingon to quilting.

HOW TO DO IT

If you want to start a club, here’s how to do it.

1 / FIND SUPPORT. You’ll want to gauge your fellow students’ interest before you start a club. If you have a great idea but nobody wants to join, you might need to refine the club’s purpose. Ask around and see who’s interested.

2 / CONSULT THE SCHOOL. No matter what kind of club you want to start, consult your university about its policy on new clubs. You may have to register the club with your university or student government in order to use the facilities. Sometimes universities set aside funding for clubs, so ask if you’ll have access to any aid.

3 / PLAN IT OUT. Consider the following questions: How many people should be in the club? How often will it meet? What will be on a typical agenda? How much money will be needed to operate? What kind of facilities and/or equipment will be required? Are there any rules for membership?

4 / KEEP COSTS LOW. Unless you have an endless supply of cash and time, you’ll probably want to keep overhead and time commitment low. Club members (not to mention you) will be very busy with school, and even school-sponsored clubs tend to have limited funds. Try to keep meetings and activities as cheap and fun as possible.

5 / GET CONNECTED. When you’re starting out, it can be helpful to link up with clubs at other universities to learn their methodology or even share resources. Many of these groups, like AIDS-awareness groups, work in tandem with organizations on and off campus, and even provide funding. Do some research and find out if you can meet at least a few times with some nearby organizations that are similar to yours.

How to win members

So you have a great idea for a new club, but you don’t know how to find members. Draft a well-written, concise pitch that describes the club’s purpose and get it out there! Send the pitch in an email to your friends, urging them to pass it on to anyone who might be interested. Post flyers around campus with clear contact information (as long as you have school approval to do so), and use social media to spread the word.