As many students know, being new to a school or being a shy and quiet person is not the easiest task to deal with as having genuine friends is a big part in what gets students through the long day. Thankfully, joining an after school club or sport truly is the perfect way to feel involved in a community.

Health and PE teacher, Lindsay Arnsmeyer, is also the director of afterschool clubs. “Joining clubs definitely makes a difference in one’s high school experience because the students get involved in something. They can collaborate and learn about different students’ diversity, or come together after finding out some common interests with their peers,” Arnsmeyer said. “I only became the director this year, but I know that the number of clubs has definitely grown a lot. I wouldn’t say that there is one or two specific clubs that are popular, but instead that many students have been creating new clubs.” 

There are many different clubs to pick and choose from that can be seen on the official Robinson website, however if none of them grab one’s attention, there is always the option to make your own club. “To be honest it’s a bit of a lengthy process that involves first finding a sponsor to work with, then getting with that sponsor to complete necessary paperwork such as a constitution, club interest, and signatures to see who would join. You’d then need to turn all that paperwork into me who then submits it to the official FCPS club specialist. However, like I mentioned earlier, this has been becoming more and more popular for students to do,” said Arnsemeyer.

Even though joining a club is a really simple way to be able to socialize more, some students might struggle with participating in one on their own. “For the kids who are on the shy side, there’s always the option of looking at clubs online on our website having access to email any club sponsor which definitely keeps off the pressure of needing to talk in person,” Arnsmeyer said. 

Additionally, it is important for students to keep in mind that there is a very thin line between maintaining a healthy balance between one’s school and social life. Clubs and sports are a mix of both. There’s the social aspect of it where one can communicate with other people and attend certain events. Then there’s the school aspect of it where, in some cases, students have some form of work or having to keep up with a constant schedule. 

Participating in a sport is not only a way to create long lasting bonds with people, it’s also a smart way to invest and commit to something that benefits one physically and mentally.  A good example of this is the dance team. The dance team is a real commitment and takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Although it can be difficult at times the members love it more than anything. 

“I like being on the dance team because everyone on it is super nice. Being on the team has definitely improved my skills as a dancer and I’m so grateful to be part of such a community, it really makes me feel like I’m a part of something important,” said one of the members of the dance team. “Joining was the best decision I made and makes me way closer to my school.”