How to Start a Good Club: After-School Edition

So you're thinking about starting a club after school—but you're worried about it flopping after two awkward meetings? You're not alone. Plenty of clubs break up faster than a middle-school romance, usually because they start without a plan.

The first thing you really want to pin down is why your club should exist. What are you excited about that others might actually care to join? Trust me, forcing a club around something you don’t like just to fill your resume will show right away. Hazel, my cat, once attended a 'cat yoga club' meeting with me over Zoom, and even she was bored silly. Find your real spark. Your passion pulls people in way better than free snacks ever could (though snacks help, let’s be real).

• Figuring Out Your Club's Purpose
• Getting Members Without Begging
• Planning Activities That Don't Suck
• Keeping Your Club Alive

Figuring Out Your Club's Purpose

Before you text anyone or start a group chat, ask yourself: Why does the world need another after-school club? When clubs flop, it’s nearly always because nobody really cares about the basic idea. According to a survey from Youth Truth, less than half of students feel truly interested in their clubs. That means the club ideas often miss the mark right from the start.

Here's a trick: jot down the first three things you’re actually excited to spend time on. If it’s something super niche (like 19th-century train whistles), check if at least a few people might want to join you—unless you’re cool with the world’s smallest club! For most folks, combining your interests with stuff other people like is the magic ticket. Don’t just chase trends, though. Fads die quickly and leave your club hanging.

If you pick something you honestly like and listen to others’ ideas, you’re halfway to success already. — Ramsey Brooks, National Association of Student Councils

Another big question: What’s the main goal? Do you want to relax and make friends after school, boost your college app, or do something good in your community? Write out a simple mission statement in two lines or less. For example, “Bring together people who love Japanese snacks and anime,” or “Give students a relaxed spot to learn chess after school.”

Here’s a simple way to figure it out:

• Write down your top interest that you’ll never get bored of.
• Check with friends—are they into it too?
• Is there a similar club already? If so, can you put a new spin on it?
• Decide if your club will be open to everyone or just a close group.

Get your after-school club idea out there, run it by others, and tweak your plan based on honest feedback. Remember: the more real your passion, the stronger the club’s foundation will be.

Getting Members Without Begging

This part scares most people when starting after-school clubs—how do you actually get members without sounding desperate? First off, skip the awkward handouts and begging in the hallways. People join clubs because they’re curious or want to connect, not because they feel guilty.

The best trick? Start with your friends and their friends. Ask a few to bring someone you don’t know. Once you have three or four interested people, things grow faster—people are more likely to show up for a group than for a one-on-one “please join me” chat. Remember, word-of-mouth beats flyers on the cafeteria wall.

Social media is your second-best tool—create a simple group chat, an Instagram page, or a Discord group. Post funny or eye-catching stuff related to your club, and share it in places where students actually hang out online. Studies from Pew Research Center in 2024 showed that 67% of teens pick up most school news from Instagram and Snapchat, not boring emails or school websites.

• Keep your first announcement short, real, and to the point. "We’re starting a chess club—no experience needed, just snacks and fun. DM if you’re interested." Simple and honest works way better than formal posters.
• Ask teachers to mention your club during homeroom or class. A quick shoutout from a liked teacher can bring people running.
• If your school has activity fairs, grab a table—even if it’s last minute. Don’t just hand out info, actually chat with people and let them see your enthusiasm.

Here’s what gets people to come back: make your first meeting actually enjoyable. If your student activities club is all talk and rules, no one will return. Throw in a game, a quick demo, or even just free chips. They might come for the chips but stay for the vibe.

If you keep things low-pressure, welcoming, and genuinely fun, you won’t need to chase people down in the halls. Your after-school clubs will basically sell themselves.

Planning Activities That Don't Suck

Ever been to a after-school club where half the group is just staring at their phones? Not a vibe anyone wants. Your club’s activities are the heart of it all—the one thing that can make people actually want to show up next week.

The best activities are simple, clear, and actually get people doing something, not just listening to someone drone on. Shoot for hands-on stuff. If you’re starting a board game club, the first meeting shouldn’t be all rules—jump in and teach as you go. Dance club? Put together a TikTok challenge or learn one trending routine together. If you’re running a student activities club, have a mix: one week you’re having a no-pressure brainstorming session, next week you’re inviting a guest (maybe someone cool from your local community or even a teacher with a hidden talent, like my math teacher who raps calculus formulas).

Surprising fact: Clubs that run at least one activity where everyone gets involved in the first 15 minutes have 50% higher member retention, according to a 2023 high school survey in Illinois. People bond when they get moving and connect face-to-face, not when they’re stuck in lecture mode.

• Set a schedule in advance, even if it’s rough. Drop session ideas in a group chat and let members vote.
• Keep meetings active. Throw in icebreakers the first few weeks—even if they feel cheesy, nothing kills club energy like awkward silence.
• Snacks help, but don’t make them the whole event. A pizza party is fun once, not every week.
• Switch it up: Try theme days, mini-competitions, or collaborate with another after-school club.

If your club meets in person, try moving around the space or going outside for certain activities—people remember meetings where something feels different. For online clubs, use quizzes, polls, or breakout rooms to shake up the routine.

Don’t forget to ask for feedback after each meeting. Quick Google Forms (or just a fast anonymous poll) give you ideas for what actually worked, and what was a total snoozefest. Your members are your best resource for fresh club ideas.

Keeping Your Club Alive

Now you’ve got a club going, but here’s the catch: most after-school clubs lose steam fast. About one in three student-led clubs shut down within the first semester, usually because they just run out of energy or ideas. So, how do you avoid being another club ghost story?

First, mix things up. Rotate your club activities so you’re not doing the same thing every meeting. People stick around when meetings feel fresh. If your club is about movies, toss in trivia nights, guest speakers (even a local film buff), or an outdoor screening when the weather’s good.

Second, give everyone a job. It’s easy for organizers to end up doing everything, but that just burns you out and makes everyone else passive. Assign simple roles—someone brings snacks, someone posts on social media, someone leads the discussion. This hands-on vibe keeps people coming back. When I ran an art club, passing out tiny responsibilities actually doubled our member attendance by the end of the year.

• Send reminders for meetings (texts work better than emails for most folks!)
• Celebrate wins, even tiny ones—like finishing a group project or just sticking together through midterms
• Ask for feedback every month—sometimes people are too shy to say meetings feel dull
• Invite new faces often, and don’t make meetings cliquey

If you’re curious about what really helps clubs survive, check this out:

So if you put energy into keeping things interesting and making everyone feel responsible, your club has a way better chance of sticking around. Not everything needs to be perfect—some of the best club stories always come from the meetings where something goes hilariously wrong anyway.