I am writing this article while sitting in my office listening to music and avoiding the work I have to do. I am an intern in the Office of Student Activities and one of my projects is to create a master list of co-curricular involvement opportunities for students on campus.
“Involvement” is a very broad idea, but it will define a significant portion of the experience you have here. Academic excellence is certainly the most important goal you should have as a Washington University student, but your tenure here should be summed up by more than your degree and the amount of tuition paid. Your experience should be a priceless era that you will be continually engaged in for years and years to come.
My advice is to let your exploration of Wash. U. be guided by two questions. What skills and abilities do you want to gain from your experience here? What impact do you want to leave on the campus community and the larger Wash. U. legacy? As you continue on over the next four years, keep asking those questions. The answers may change, and that’s okay.
When I first came to Wash. U., I knew I wanted to do more than just go to class, but I wasn’t sure what I was passionate about. In situations like this, some students tend to do nothing, and others, like myself, tend to do too much. I got over-involved very quickly. Within the first semester of my freshman year, I was the treasurer of a student group, a member of the Orientation Executive Board, the host and contributing editor of a television show, and a full-time student in my spare time.
The story of my freshman year is a testament to how easy it is for freshmen to get involved, but it is also an example of what can happen when you don’t intentionally guide your experience by asking the important questions. I was passionate about being a leader, so I led. I wasn’t necessarily passionate about what I was doing, so I led others and myself with no direction. I wish I would have taken my time to think carefully about what I wanted to get out of being involved on campus.
You may have been a leader in high school, and may assume that you should continue to do whatever activities you participated in. You may have been solely committed to your academic pursuits and may think that you won’t have time to study for college classes and do other things. Whether I’ve described you or not, throw all of your assumptions out of the window. Take a minute to discover what you’re passionate about and begin your journey as a Wash. U. student.
You may go on to become a student group leader, start a community service organization, conduct published research, become class president, a teaching assistant or something I haven’t listed. “Involvement” is a necessary component of being a Wash. U. student, but you should carefully pursue it so that both you and what you’re involved in benefit from the experience. Take a moment to find your passion, and everything from selecting a major to shaping your legacy will become a lot easier.
Jeff Nelson is a junior in Arts & Sciences and Student Union Vice President of Administration. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].