From Classrooms to Coastlines — What Leading a Club Taught Me That Coursework Couldn’t

When I moved to New York to begin my grad program at NYU SPS, I thought the hardest part would be coursework. I pictured late-night readings, group projects, and caffeine-fueled midterms. And while all of that came true (especially the coffee), the most transformative part of my experience didn’t happen in a classroom.

It happened in a group chat, with a Google Doc, a few strangers, and an idea.

That idea became a student-led club.

Building Something That Didn't Exist

I’d been looking for a space that blended marketing, media, and the cultural shifts shaping our generation. A place for students who didn’t just want to build brands but also question them. Who cared about what was trending, yes—but also why.

There wasn’t a club like that at NYU SPS, so with two other classmates, I decided to build it.

Starting a club at NYU is equal parts thrilling and bureaucratic. There are forms, approvals, budgets, emails, and pitch decks. You think you’re creating a safe space for dialogue—then suddenly you're learning event planning, finance, and public speaking on the fly.

But here’s the thing: the chaos is the magic.

You learn by doing. You learn that leadership isn’t about having the answers, but about holding space for the people asking the right questions.

The First Event Flop (And What It Taught Me)

Our first event had a strong title, a polished flyer, and exactly seven people in the room—three of whom were us.

It was humbling. But also, clarifying.

Instead of seeing it as failure, we treated it as a beta test. We asked: Did the topic resonate? Was the timing off? Did we promote it in the right places? We iterated. The next event filled the room. By the end of the semester, we were fielding collaboration requests from other clubs and programs.

That feedback loop—act, reflect, adapt—is one I now carry into everything, from presentations to job interviews.

Community Is Not a Buzzword

One of the most surprising outcomes of starting a club is how quickly strangers become co-builders. People show up not just for events, but with ideas, with skills, with energy you didn’t know was missing.

You stop seeing NYU SPS as just a grad program and start seeing it as a living network of perspectives and personalities.

Some of my closest friendships, internship referrals, and even creative collaborators came from that small group of students who stayed back after an event “just to chat.”

What I’d Tell Anyone Thinking About Leading Something

Do it. Even if you feel underqualified. Especially then.

You’ll learn how to translate ideas into action. You’ll learn how to ask for help (and how many people are willing to give it). You’ll develop a tone of voice, a point of view, a posture you didn’t have when you walked in.

Grad school teaches you a lot. But leading a student club teaches you how to hold what you learn—and pass it on.