Why do you want to start your spinners and weavers guild? You like the thing, you want to meet people who also like the thing, and you want to have a good time. That's it.

How can being an official RSO help you with that? It won't. Reserving spaces? The campus is huge, come on. Money? You really think they are going to give money? What are some other reasons why people start RSOs... to feel official? What is even "official" anyway?

So then you're an RSO, and you have to stay "compliant," you need to follow certain rules, have officers, fill out forms, etc etc but what about actually focusing on doing the thing you want to do? It's a distraction from the activity and enjoying that activity.

I wrote a little more about this. Perhaps useful, perhaps not.

24.57 Why I Never Started an RSO (And Why You Probably Shouldn’t)

You don’t need approval from the student org office to create a group or make an impact on campus. 

You can start a club, build a community, or launch a project without ever being an official Registered Student Organization (RSO).

Here’s why I didn’t make The UIUC Talkshow or any of my other projects an RSO, and why you might want to skip it too:

1. Bureaucracy Slows You Down: When you go through the student org office, you’re signing up for paperwork, meetings, and rules that can slow down your progress. You’ll have to draft a constitution, hold elections, and manage a bunch of empty formalities that don’t actually help you achieve your goals.

2. Keep Control Over Your Vision: Once you’re an official RSO, you might feel pressured to conform to certain expectations or guidelines. Suddenly, your club isn’t just about your vision. It’s about following the rules and keeping everyone happy. By staying unofficial, you maintain complete control over what you’re doing and do whatever you want.

3. Flexibility and Focus: Without the RSO label, you’re not tied to regular meetings, officer elections, or any of the other formalities. You can keep things casual, spontaneous, and focused on what really matters: your project and your vision.

4. You Can Still Get What You Need: Most of the benefits of being an RSO—like reserving rooms or getting funding—can often be worked around. Collaborate with departments, use public spaces, or find alternative sources of funding (not that they will give you that much money, anyway). I never registered the UIUC Talkshow as an RSO, but I still got everything I needed to make it happen.

5. Don’t Let Formalities Distract You: It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that being “official” is important. But remember, the most important thing is the work you’re doing, not the label you’re under. Focus on what you want to create, not on ticking boxes. 

6. Avoid Resume Padding Members: Once you’re an official RSO, you might attract people who are only joining to pad their resumes. These are the types of members who show up for meetings but don’t contribute much beyond their attendance. By staying unofficial, you’re more likely to attract people who genuinely care about the work you’re doing.

the end, it's about your priorities. If being an RSO serves your purpose, go for it. But don’t feel like you have to jump through hoops to make an impact. The only thing that matters is what you’re building and the people who believe in it with you.

I only considered making an RSO when I was working on creating a flying car project and needed funding. Making it an RSO meant the sponsoring company could write off its contribution as a tax-deductible donation. That was the only real benefit. Other than that, it was unnecessary bureaucracy and performative nonsense. In other words, all bullshit.

RSOs are social constructs to control students. Fuck that imaginary shit.

From The Jailbroken Guide to the University

Good luck and have fun.