As the semester begins and we start new classes and activities, we should all think ahead to what we are all going to be doing this semester. We are pretty sure of the classes we are going to take, or at least the ones we hope to take, but what else can we do? My suggestion is to get involved in something other than class, friends and fun.
Because Virginia Tech is a major university, it offers much more than just a multitude of different and interesting classes. We, as students, are also given the opportunity to join any number of varying organizations that range from service to social to athletics.
There are the organizations that one typically thinks of when he thinks “college extracurricular activities” such as fraternities, sororities, sports teams, political groups or service organizations. These are a great way of meeting people with whom one shares a similar interest, and may give one a different perspective on life. They encourage us to get to know many of our peers and make it very enjoyable at the same time.
But there are also very specialized groups on campus that give people who may not be athletic or outgoing a chance to find people who are similar minded. For instance, at Tech there is the American Ceramics Society, the Microbiology Club or the Sailing Club. These groups can be easily found on the Tech Web site and can be searched by type or by name.
Some people ask, “Why should I bother?” I have better things to do like hang out with my friends, play video games, or if totally necessary, homework. But the fact of the matter is, it is very important to join groups and organizations during your college career.
Why? There is the typical reason, just as it was in high school. Getting involved looks good on a graduate school or job application. Getting involved demonstrates to potential employers or admissions officers that you can manage your time well, you are a good leader, or you are at least passionate about something. The reason that you get involved isn’t really important, what really matters is that you do it.
However, beyond applications and resumes, getting involved during college is important just to meet new and different people. Most of us in high school knew the same people throughout our entire school careers. We may or may not still be friends with these people, but we do know them well. But once we get to college we are surrounded by people we have never met before and that come from different places and backgrounds than ourselves.
It is really important for us to get to know new people and experience new things in college. We need to open our minds to new views and ways of life in order to be better, educated people.
Getting an education is not just about learning new information — it is also about getting a life education. It’s learning about new customs, about new places in the U.S., and about new ways of thinking.
It is likely that we will meet people who do no think the same way we do, so we need to take the great opportunity that going to school at Tech gives us to get to know these people. Even if we pick a very specific group to join with a common interest, we can almost be guaranteed that there will be people there who are nothing like us.
So think about getting more involved this semester. Find a group that you didn’t even know existed here, or join one that you have considered in the past. The rewards you will see will be much greater than you expected.