When I was a freshman at Kent State I was just like any other freshman. I was full of excitement to start classes and get involved in order to meet as many people as I could…
The year started out great as I attended all the opening fairs like Blast-off, featuring the various ways to get involved on campus. I wanted to join this club and that club, then be a member of this organization and that organization. I took flyer after flyer and free giveaway after free giveaway, signing my email on every list possible. As a very active and outgoing person, I wanted to get in to everything I could in order to make my college years worthwhile.
As classes started and I began to get into my schoolwork, those flyers and free giveaways were stuffed away in a drawer never to be seen again. Despite the fact that I told myself I’d get around to attending those clubs whenever I had free time, “free” time became harder to find.
As I became closer with the people on my floor, I got out less and rarely tried new things. I became lazy and unmotivated. My college experience, which started out so strong and insightful, began to plummet. I saw students in my classes going out and getting involved and I felt like I was missing out on so much, especially on the weekends.
My thoughts would wander to the drawer in my room that held all the flyers and club information. One day I went through it. I missed every deadline to get involved with what I initially wanted to, so I told myself I would just try next semester. After all, I had friends on my floor so until my second semester started, I could just hangout with them, right?
However, my second semester of freshman year came around and I thought, “What’s the point in getting involved now? The people on my floor are good enough friends, and I guess I could see myself being friends with them for life…?” Especially as a freshman, you think the first people you meet (in this case the people on my floor) will be your friends for life. They are convenient to you, and in the process of trying to find yourself, they’re just always there. Little did I know, the people on my floor were holding me back instead of helping me push forward…
When I came back my sophomore year, I was determined to get more involved and leave my freshman year laziness (and friends) behind. I joined a sorority and automatically doors began to open. I went out of my comfort zone more often and college became a whole different experience for me. I met new people, got involved, found new passions, and began to finally live up to my potential. If I had just gotten involved sooner, I would have been exposed to more opportunities and people, and my college experience as a freshman at Kent would have been a million times better.
I wish I had become more involved on campus sooner to improve my freshman year experience overall, thus improving the rest of my college years to follow. For incoming freshmen especially, or even for those who still have yet to venture out of their comfort zone: I suggest getting involved as soon as you can, whether this means joining a sorority or not. Don’t get stuck like me just doing whatever might feel comfortable to you at the time.
You never know what you are missing out on.
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