After being involved on campus for three years now, I’ve learned that it has shaped me into the person I am today, including being a student, a professional, and simply just me. Being involved has created so many great memories with my friends, including participating in Naz’s first Relay for Life on campus, sitting on committees together, and eventually moving in with three of my best friends senior year after meeting each other through our involvement. As senior year began in August, I reflected on the past few years and came up with some takeaways that I’ve learned:
Involved: As President of the Undergraduate Association this year, I like to tell the Class of 2018 that involvement does not mean being in my position or begin working to run for my position in a few years. Rather, it means going to the soccer or volleyball games, after classes of course, or going to see Leon Etienne, the Illusionist and Magician that was brought to campus for FrightFest Week, or simply wearing purple and gold on Flyer Fridays to show your school spirit. Being involved simply means supporting the Naz community.
Engaged: When students become involved, they meet other students who share similar thoughts, interests, and hobbies. In other words, they engage with each other. For example, as junior year started, another student and I were on the Executive Board for the Undergraduate Association as well as the Executive Board for Orientation. We did not really know each other before the beginning of the year. We both realized that we were most likely going to spend the next two years together through our involvement so we decided to go with the flow and hangout outside of our activities. This “other student” is one of my roommates this year.
Connected: What once was a weekly run-in with friends at a club meeting typically turns into daily meals together, movie marathons instead of homework, and trips around the Rochester community. When students meet new friends, they engage in their similar interests to make lifelong connections. These connections will help you get through a few days of homesickness, make you soup when you’re sick, and help you through stressful times. When graduation day comes and you’re onto the next step in life, your connections and memories will be with you until you all get together for the next movie marathon when you all call into work sick.