Throughout high school I was “that girl” who signed up for every club that sparked an interest, of which there were about 20+ clubs. I went to the first meeting for each and ended up being active in about two clubs by the end of my senior year. These two clubs were the prolife club and the Student Government. I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of these two clubs, and thus decided to join only about two to three clubs while entering my freshman year of college that were similar to these clubs.
This decision to limit myself on the number of clubs I joined allowed me to really focus on becoming an active and passionate member for each. Just as in high school, one of these clubs I joined was the prolife club on campus. Pushing myself to realize that doing something outside of schoolwork during the year was important helped me to become a better member in this particular club. I immediately signed up for the first few events that the club held on or off campus and not only saw the positive impact this club had in the prolife movement, but I also experienced how I was a part of this positive impact. This realization that I could make a difference encouraged me to join the Residence Hall Association that organized fun activities on campus for students living in residence halls. I found that this club was similar to the Student Government in high school, as I represented my residence hall and voiced my hall mates’ concerns. Being a part of this club opened up many opportunities, such as serving as a chair for the Student Center Board, in which we discussed activities and designed changes taking place in the most popular building on campus. Being a part of these clubs allowed me to meet so many people and to really learn how to organize my schedule and prioritize my time. Especially freshman year, being a part of these organizations was a kind of rush because at each new meeting I found new ways to challenge myself and discover new ideas and abilities of which I never even knew I had. Therefore, I suggest to all freshman to join a group that not only shares your passions, but also finds ways that allow you to act and grow.
Though these three clubs were great and I cannot wait to begin another year as a member in each, the one activity that had the greatest impact on my freshman year, and something I will always stay a part of no matter how busy I am, is taking part in weekly service.
Last February I randomly decided to try something new and joined a group of students who went to an inner city neighborhood every Saturday to play with some kids for a few hours. After my first Saturday doing this service, I found myself so attracted to going completely outside of my own personal bubble to work with these fun, care-free kids, who have a childhood so different than my own, but who are so similar to me. I was told time and time again that doing service is the best experience, and after finally taking part in this service, I cannot agree more. These Saturday mornings are the highlight of my weekends and I would encourage anyone, freshman or senior, to do some service for others in order to truly appreciate the college life.
– Rose
