Going to university allows students to freely participate in a variety of student club activities with like-minded peers, and even become "campus celebrities." For many children dreaming of university life, this is undoubtedly a huge temptation. A vote initiated by The Beijing News on Sina Weibo showed that among the "7 Must-Do Things During University," over half of the students chose club activities, ranking third.
Club recruitment season kicks off the "Battle of the Clubs"
Last month, various Peking University clubs recruited new members, attracting many students to stop and join in, even drawing media attention. The club recruitment at Peking University is nicknamed the "Battle of the Clubs," and the actual number of clubs has reached more than 260. Each club pulled out all the stops to recruit new members. A high school student who happened to see the scene at Peking University’s Triangle Area at the time said enviously, "It’s the collision of wisdom among top students from all over the country—this is culture."
Nowadays, university clubs have long gone beyond traditional categories like literature, art, and sports. Universities also specifically formulate student club management regulations. For example, the "Peking University Student Club Management Regulations" consist of eight chapters and forty-seven articles, providing detailed rules on the establishment, activities, finances, management, and changes of student clubs.
While university club activities are undoubtedly colorful, it should also be noted that behind the glamour lies the hard work of club members. Take the nationally renowned Peking University Mountain Eagle Society as an example: they conduct physical training every Tuesday and Thursday evening, and almost every weekend involves outdoor activities—rock climbing, camping, and exploration. There are also winter training sessions during the winter break and scientific expeditions during the summer break. At the end of each fall semester, the Mountain Eagle Society chooses a snowy world to engage in ice climbing and cross-country skiing.
A representative from the Mountain Eagle Society introduced that last week, the 2012 Peking University Mountain Eagle Society scientific expedition team just completed a five-week training session. On April 29 and 30, the mountaineering and scientific expedition team conducted a two-day-one-night joint loaded physical training session on Dongling Mountain.
It is through this high-intensity training that students of the Mountain Eagle Society have achieved remarkable results, having climbed more than ten peaks including Nyenchen Tanglha, Geladandong, Majiankangri, and Cho Oyu. As of 2009, they had 11 national first-class mountaineers. Statistical data shows that since the 1990s, the Peking University Mountaineering Team has had over 70 members climb snow mountains, 30 with more than two high-altitude experiences, and 21 who have reached altitudes above 7,000 meters.
Joining club activities builds valuable skills
In university clubs, new members who start off unnoticed not only have to work hard to improve their skills but also need to patiently follow the "seniors." It may not be until their sophomore or junior year that they begin to stand out and become core members of the club. Liu Feng, a graduate of Capital Normal University, recalled that when he first entered university, all six people in his dormitory signed up for student clubs, and more than half signed up for more than one. Whenever there was a club activity, they would excitedly participate. Later, "as coursework got heavier and relationships started, fewer and fewer people participated in club activities. By the sophomore year, basically only me and one other classmate were still sticking with it."
Huang Chong, a club advisor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology’s Wenhua College, believes that students who have experienced club life have intellectual and thinking advantages compared to others. In the job market, university graduates who have successfully integrated into club life are also more competitive compared to other job seekers. This phenomenon is particularly evident among students who participate in technical clubs (such as computer associations, radio associations, journalism societies, etc.).
"This shows that students who have participated in club activities actually receive a kind of specialized education. This specialized education is reflected throughout the entire process of club activities. For example, while undergoing business (including interest, technical, etc.) training and practice, students develop specific skills, which are the core of their market competitiveness. In organizing group activities, they train their organizational and management abilities, coordination skills, and cultivate a sense of collective service and teamwork—these are manifestations of overall quality. Through mutual exchanges among group members, they gain inspiration, improve their ideological realm and thinking level—these are essential for students’ future development."
■ University Perspectives
Loose management makes organizing activities difficult
● Xiao Li, Peking University of Forestry student, with over three years of club experience
Our school conducted a survey, and about half of the students feel that club activities are not very appealing. I think this has two reasons. One is from the participants themselves. When they first enter university, they think everything is fun, are restless, and can’t calmly think about what they really like or which club they want to stick with. Then, when other distractions come up, like coursework or other things, they drift away from club activities.
On the other hand, the clubs themselves have issues. Generally, student clubs are loosely managed, with little direct oversight or funding from the school, making it difficult to organize activities. Also, there are too many clubs in schools now, and competition is fierce.
However, I think participating in club activities is still very beneficial. In the long run, it can improve organizational, communication, and social skills—all of which are beyond textbook knowledge. In the short term, actively participating in clubs and building experience and skills will help with future job hunting or applying to overseas schools.
University Diary
April 3, 2009: The opening ceremony of the 20th anniversary of the Peking University Mountain Eagle Society and the launch ceremony of the Mountain Eagle Fund were held at the Yingjie Exchange Center.
July 2010: Seventeen members of the Peking University Mountain Eagle Society Pathfinder Mountaineering Team summited Tibet’s Karulung Peak (6,674m). In the same month, the Peking University Mountain Eagle Society Jihua Mountaineering Team successfully summited Suluzhui Peak (5,547m) in the western part of the Qilian Mountain Range.
May 6, 2012: The 3rd CMUC Annual Magic Exchange Conference and Champions Cup Magic Competition concluded at China Agricultural University. The Renmin University Magic Theme Club won the Best Club Award.
May 2012: Club recruitment at Peking University was held at the Triangle Area, where over a hundred clubs showcased their unique cultural charm with various creative strategies.
May 2012: Tsinghua University held its 9th Student Club Culture Festival, which awarded 12 associations including the Education Poverty Alleviation Public Welfare Association as the "Top 10 Tsinghua University Student Associations of the 2011–2012 Academic Year."
June 2012: Renmin University announced the results of the "2011–2012 Academic Year Club Rankings," with the Music Lovers Association, Sign Language Club, and Cherry Blossom Club ranking at the top.
Reported by Wang Hui, reporter for The Beijing News