Off-The-Beaten-Track Extracurriculars You Can Do in College

If the traditional pickup soccer game or chess club isn't your cup of tea, fear not: there's something out there for you!

Extracurriculars are great opportunities for you to spend some quality time with your peers, expand your network, have some fun, and learn about something that interests you outside of school.

Ready to take a deep dive into some off-the-beaten-path options? Let's go!

If you’re a bookworm: Quidditch

Yes, people play Quidditch in real life--and there are extracurricular college teams. It's a mixed-gender contact sport with elements of soccer, football, rugby, tag, and dodgeball. And yes, players use brooms. The verdict? It's tough. It's fun. And you get to re-enact Harry Potter. What could be better?

There are a variety of college teams out there, some of which play more competitively than others. Check out this US Quidditch team map to find your college's team!

If you're into STEM: e-sports

High school and college students interested in engineering and sports often gravitate towards e-sports, essentially high-level competitive sports video gaming.

As in traditional athletic teams, e-sports players need to work together, communicate, demonstrate high levels of performance, and display good sportsmanship.

At the extracurricular level, students can take their desire to participate as far as they like. They can play at low levels and enjoy the sport for what it is and compete locally --or not at all. Or they can join leagues and compete with other extracurricular teams.

The options are endless.

If you’re a geography buff: pick geocaching

Like maps? Like treasure hunts? You'll love geocaching. Explore the great outdoors with a GPS receiver or other mobile device to find caches of goodies.

When you find a cache, typically a large waterproof container, you sign the log claiming you found it, and trade or otherwise enjoy trinkets and other delights in the cache.

Schools the world over have started geocaching clubs and organizations for students interested in searching for not-so-buried treasure.

If you’re into logic and mathematics: Rubik’s Cube

Love the twist and turn of that elusive Rubik's Cube? Lots of people do. So many, in fact, that there are entire organizations dedicated to them.

Take a look around campus and see what you find. Nothing? Make one. You might be surprised!

If you’re good at writing: book publishing

Book publishing groups are great fun -- and are a great way to become part of a community.

Can't find a book publishing group per se? Start small with a literary magazine or a school newspaper, and other campus publications.

See who's interested. Get a group together and start a publishing group yourself.

If you like politics: mock governing

If you're looking for a way to share your interest in legislative, executive, and judicial systems, look for a mock government group, or a Youth and Government group.

Student councils offer one avenue, but so do extracurricular groups focused on those who have political or high-level governing aspirations.

Don't know where to start? Check out the student activities office for a push in the right direction. You might just end up finding a major in the process!

Learn more about earning a bachelor's degree.