Everyone loves to give the annoyingly vague advice to “get involved” in some sort of extracurricular at school, but they conveniently never want to help you decide what to get involved in. Luckily, there are always opportunities to expand your horizons and meet new people. From Anime Club to Youth in Government, there are over 55 clubs to try out at KHS, and I’m here to highlight a few.

Full of members with varying interests in law, debate, improv and performing, the KHS Mock Trial Team is a club designed to simulate the proceedings of a real courtroom trial. The team competes against other schools as they learn about the legal system in a competitive environment.

“Mock Trial has been a great way for me to build my confidence and meet a lot of cool new people,” Mackenzie Klein, junior and Mock Trial member, said. “I never knew how much I loved debate before I joined, [and] I’m glad I’ve been able to [be in] such an amazing club.

  If you’re looking for a way to become more active in politics, Young Democrats or Young Conservatives might be a good place to start. Or, if you’re interested in global politics and diplomacy, Model U.N. could be for you.

“[In Model U.N. you] choose any country represented in the [United Nations], do a bit of research, act as though you were a diplomat from your country and get ready for the big [competitions],” Jacob Godwin, senior and Model U.N. student officer, said. “We have fun meetings, plenty of snacks and give students a taste of what being a diplomat and politician is actually like.”

Sometimes you just want to hang out with people of similar interests in a relaxed environment, and there are clubs for that too. Whether it’s Nerd Club, Lumberjack Club, Philosophy Club or any of the other clubs listed on the KHS website, there is something at KHS for you. And if you can’t find any clubs of interest, you can just make your own.

“I have a dream of being a radio host, and I had recently started listening to podcasts, so I figured why not [make my own podcast club],” Diana Dodson, junior and founder of the Podcast Club, said. “I just had to fill out a form with a staff sponsor signature and nine or ten kids who would also be in the club with me.”

Whether you plan to join a club or make your own, meeting new people and expanding your horizons are extremely important in your first year of high school. So, get out there and try some new things, because as annoying as it is to hear people say it, you have to get involved.