Ika Janiszewski, First Year Advisor

All Schulich students must have excellent leadership skills.

I can say this with confidence, as initiative-taking and vision-setting leads to a strong leadership profile, which in turn, plays a significant role in the acceptance of a candidate to the program.

Whether you played sports, were involved with DECA, volunteered at your local animal shelter, or started your own business, getting involved in the community at large was part of your daily routine in high school. Now that you’re in university, why should this change?

University is an incredible time to explore the different opportunities presented to you, as well as seek out new avenues of interest. While there may be some activities you want to carry forward from high school into university, there will be many, many more, brand new, diverse initiatives that you will want to take on.

This of course comes with a little caveat; you have to figure out what it is you want to get involved with. With over 400 clubs, dozens of case competitions, tens of intramural sports and many more activities here at York, it is very easy to get overwhelmed in your first weeks when you are trying to figure out where and how you might want to get involved.

My advice to you – schedule permitting – would be to pick 3 co-curricular activities to get involved with; one that is familiar and comfortable, one that will help you develop your skills professionally, and one that will challenge you, change your perspective, or that you have a new interest in. Let’s dive into these one by one.

The Rule of Three

1. Getting involved with something you are familiar or comfortable with is a great way to keep growing and developing the skills and ideas you had in high school, but take them to the next level. Whether it’s joining the university chapter of your high school club, keeping up with volunteering in your favourite place, or joining a club that has the same focus that you were passionate about in high school, this is a phenomenal way to have that little bit of familiarity with you in the new world that is university.

2. Getting involved with something that will help you develop professional skills is like investing in yourself. This can be anything from determining which specialization is right for you, to developing better communication and presentation skills. While Schulich offers several industry focused clubs which are incredible, there are also clubs directly focused on soft skill development and interpersonal connections which will also serve to help you down the road in your career.

3. Getting involved with something that will challenge you, your way of thinking, or serve as a new interest is critical so you are always thinking outside the box, and stepping out of your comfort zone. Taking calculated risks in university is the best and most efficient way to figure out what areas you do or don’t like, make friends from all different programs and backgrounds, and diversify your involvements. This is also a great opportunity to try something that may not have been available to you in high school, and see what new skills or ideas you can bring in to supplement your business education.

No matter what you choose to get involved with in your first year, it is just that, your first year. If there is a club you love, stick with it! Get into leadership positions and shape the club with your ideas and vision.

And if a club just isn’t cutting it for you, no hard feelings! There are so many more you can try in the next years.

If you have any questions about club goals, themes, missions and visions, sample events, or anything at all, please feel free to send me a message, or connect with any of the Club Presidents. We would be more than happy to help you out!