College makes it feel like you have to do it all. We are told that joining clubs, attending every event and building the perfect resume are all key to a meaningful college experience. If you are not busy, then you are somehow not doing college life right. It seems as if the busiest students are the most successful or the ones making the most out of college. But that is not always true. Here is what I have learned: being everywhere does not mean you belong anywhere. 

My first year of college, I signed up for multiple clubs, attended events and said yes to almost every opportunity. I thought being involved everywhere was the only way to grow and feel like I fit in. Of course, I was busy and felt like I was accomplishing a lot, but inside I felt drained and disconnected. Most of the time it felt like I was just there to put something on my resume, not to build real, genuine connections. While I did make valuable friendships through some clubs, I realized that they were not the only place meaningful relationships could form. 

Some of the most genuine friendships I have made in college did not come from clubs or leadership roles. They came from everyday interactions that were unexpected, such as texting a classmate about the homework, chatting with my neighbor in the dorm or accidentally walking into a classroom I thought was empty, only to find a group of people who somehow became my closest friends.  

There is this common advice that if you are having a hard time making friends in college, all you need to do is get involved, join a club and go to events. But there is a lot more to it than that. Meaningful friendships can happen anywhere. Talk to the person sitting next to you in class and invite them to study together or even talk to a stranger on the Mall. Those interactions may seem small but could lead to long-lasting friendships. 

Overcommitting can get in the way of real growth. When every hour of your day is scheduled, it is hard to slow down and learn from experiences. Those quieter, less structured days make college feel real, personal and worthwhile. 

Campus involvement is not bad. It can teach valuable skills and create amazing opportunities. But it is not the only way to grow. Students can make their college experience meaningful in ways that they feel are right for them. So, if you are feeling stressed about being involved everywhere, here is the truth: you do not have to do it all. You do not need to attend every event or hold every leadership position to have a meaningful college experience. The moments that stick, the experiences that change you, are what make college what it is.