What are your passions? Do you love playing music, reading classic novels, or riding horses? Some of you might not even be sure what your passion really is, as many of us are caught up in the college mentality of striving to fill up our resumes with “useful” activities, rather than what we would truly enjoy doing.

How many times have you heard the all-too-familiar appeal from clubs and organizations on campus that joining their group will add value to your resume? I know when I first came to San Diego State, I was bombarded with hundreds of these same sentiments. Instead of taking the time to choose extracurricular activities that I would enjoy, I chose a few groups that were in line with my area of study.

After a year or so, I realized that the majority of other students in these clubs didn’t actually care about the cause. Many people who had joined, especially those in leadership positions, filled meetings with talk of proposed plans that almost never came to fruition, wasting time that could have been used to actually improve our campus. It seemed that people wanted the title and the “experience,” but none of the real responsibility.

This was extremely discouraging because it not only seemed like it would be impossible to enjoy my campus experience, but also that this was a representation of the “real world,” as I had been led to believe college was practice for reality for most of my adolescent life. I was not the only one experiencing this, however, as I heard the same discouragement echoed by many of my friends and classmates who had been exposed to the same pressure to “pad” their resumes.

This is dangerous because, when you really think about it, our future careers may be important, but they aren’t necessarily what are going to bring us happiness throughout our lives. Realistically, the majority of us won’t be lucky enough to be completely passionate about our jobs, at least not our first few. This is where hobbies become extremely important to our emotional health and stability, by giving us something to look forward to at the end of the day.

Too many of us are stuck in the endless routine of joining on-campus clubs and organizations simply to “look good” to future employers. I know it’s difficult to take a step back and think about our priorities, especially when surrounded by other students intently focused on getting any job we can find once we graduate, but prioritizing our enjoyment is even more essential to our future well-being than our financial success.

As soon as I started to consider my happiness important, by choosing to do things such as performing with the school’s wind symphony and continuing to play an instrument that I love, I became more content and inspired in every aspect of my life.

So don’t just join the business fraternity or environmental club if you don’t enjoy the time and energy you spend on it. Don’t get me wrong, if you love to use every minute of your free time on researching your area of study, and truly enjoy it, go right ahead. Just don’t feel the pressure to make school and work your one and only concern in life. Instead, make time for things you love, whether it’s starting a book club, cooking for your friends or surfing at your favorite beach. Be passionate and pursue your happiness.