Diluted Authenticity: A Focus on LHS’ Clubs

At the end of each October, LHS holds its wildly popular Club Fair. With over 140 clubs listed on the LHS website, Lexington High School prides itself on the abundance of extracurricular activities it provides for its students. However, the clubs at LHS may contribute to a larger problem of the Lexington community: with 20+ currently existing clubs without faculty advisors, when have we reached the point of “too much”? 

When constructing a proposal for a new club at LHS, the guidelines state that “Clubs are meant to bring students together who share common interests, so we do not establish multiple clubs with the same mission.” Yet, admin seems to approve of (or overlook) identical clubs. Take, for instance, Feminist Literature Club and Female Lit Club: both clubs aim to read literature by female-identifying writers and meet to discuss feminist themes and connections to modern events. The only thing that seems to be distinguishing these two clubs is the difference in their names: Feminist vs Female. This is not the only instance of the existence of seemingly identical clubs. For example, Hypesquad and Flagship Club both promote school spirit through sports games and spirit themes. I’m sure the sentiment behind these clubs was not to copy one another, nor am I insinuating that one of these clubs is more original than its counterpart. However, when a constant increase in the number of clubs leads to the creation of ideas that are virtually the same, are the clubs at LHS really authentic? Or are they actually a part of the toxic culture surrounding college admissions?

With the removal of the SAT subject tests and many colleges going test-optional, extracurriculars have become increasingly important  in the college admission scene. Applicants have become hyper-aware of the 10 activity slots on the common app and the need to show leadership. Simplified, there are two ways to achieve an extracurricular leadership position: first, you could try to become the leader of an already-existing club at LHS. However, there are certain steps that you have to take to do so. As an underclassman, you must become a regular member, exhibit commitment to the club, and potentially strengthen your relationship with the previous presidents to make you a viable candidate as next club leader. Even then, you may be competing with several other people in your grade for such a position. The other (arguably easier) option is to take your leadership position into your own hands and create a new club. This way, you are automatically a founder and president of a club, and the only thing you have to do is get approval from administration. It all sounds like a perfect solution, especially if you can find an original idea that you are passionate about. 

Yet, with 140 already-established clubs, are there truly enough new ideas that students can think of? How many of the new clubs that emerge each year are truly well-intentioned? If the main factor driving someone to submit a proposal for a club is the potential to add something else to their college resume, the club will simply not hold true authenticity. Often, when the second semester of the school year arrives, many senior leaders stop putting in effort towards their clubs since they have already been accepted into college. Or, when a club’s leaders graduate, many young clubs quickly fizzle out. Thus, I urge upperclassmen who are thinking about creating a new club to consider whether they actually believe they are bringing something new to the LHS community that will outlast the next year or two. If not, devote your time and effort to an established club with a similar mission. Clubs seem to be rapidly losing their meaning of cultivating a community outside of the school day, instead becoming just another puppet of the college admissions process. And although this is a problem emerging at LHS, the dilution of extracurriculars extends to all high school students across the nation dealing with the pressure of college. Ultimately, even if administration tried to promote students to focus their energy towards established clubs, Lexington is simply one of thousands of schools which reflect the flaws of the college admissions process and its effect on the student culture and life. 

by KATHY LIM