OPINION: The Club Crisis: An Extracurricular or an Extra Class?

Clubs are staple extracurricular activities: they are résumé builders and are what students turn to when they want to express themselves or get away from their academics. At least, that is what they once were. Haverford takes pride in its students’ creative freedom, advertising the number of clubs available and the possibility for students to make their own. However, in my two years on Haverford’s campus, I have noticed a decrease in club participation, especially among those that are not related to academics. It seems as though clubs that do not directly benefit a student’s major or future career are being swept under the rug, disregarded, and are considered coursework or “extra work.”

Despite the overenrollment in the classes of 2028 and 2029, there are still less and less people joining these extracurriculars. Additionally, across the three extracurriculars to which I dedicate my time, there are roughly three members of the class of 2029 that also partake in the same organizations, and seven from the class of 2028. In contrast, across just two of those clubs, there are nine members from the class of 2026. Although this is a small sample size, there is an apparent decline in extracurricular participation between class years.

So why is this the case? Why are less students interested in extracurriculars? Could it be that classes are getting harder? Are they too much of a time commitment? 

At the start of my freshman year, I remember joining a lot of extracurriculars to expand my horizons. Sure, I did not commit to all of them, but I picked the ones I was most passionate about and stuck with them. Many of my friends had a similar process; they also joined a lot of activities they were interested in, going on to drop some and devote their time to the rest. 

To solve this problem, I believe the spring club fair should be revived (as one previously took place in Spring 2024). While the one in the fall is extremely helpful for freshmen to see all of their options, there could be new clubs that emerge in the spring that will not receive any recognition until the following fall. It might also catch freshmen off-guard since they do not have a set work schedule yet. Typically, the club fair is the first week of classes, and some freshmen need that time to adjust to the college lifestyle, which could be a reason why they might not join a lot of clubs. Additionally, offices like the Center for Career and Professional Advising (CCPA) could advertise this to students more when not in appointments as well as customs groups about the potential opportunities offered by extracurriculars when applying for future jobs, internships, graduate schools, and more. Overall, in the midst of a lack of participation from students, it seems as though there is  widespread disengagement from both extracurriculars and student government. As the class of 2030 plans their next four years here at Haverford, it is important to highlight and take pride in the amazing opportunities offered by Haverford’s extracurriculars. Clubs create new hobbies, experiences, and memories for years to come, and we, student leaders, staff, and offices, should do what we can to combat growing disinterest in them.