From the Date Doctor to daily Den Pops, Boiler Gold Rush 2015 was a week for the books. Breaking BGR records with over 6,300 new Boilermakers, BGR 2015 was the biggest yet. Boiler Gold Rush is one of the biggest and most prestigious freshman orientation programs in the whole country. The crazy energetic staff eats, breathes, and lives BGR. The seven SOC (student orientation committee) members who plan the whole week, the crazy 97 supervisors in the gold shirts, and the over 500 team leaders do everything they possibly can to make this week the best first week of college for every new Boilermaker.

I was honored to be a team supervisor this year for BGR 2015. It was hands down the greatest decision of my college career. The people involved with BGR are the greatest, kindest, and in my opinion the coolest kids on campus. I am happy to say that I now have 96 friends that will last a lifetime.

A lot of people ask, "How do you guys have so much energy all the time?" This one is easy. The staff of BGR feeds off the energy and the pure passion for the program. It makes it easy to dance and sing all day and night when you are doing it with your best friends and for an organization that you love so much. However, the free Den Pops for Supers were a nice pick-me-up. There's nothing a free Den Pop can't fix, even if we only get three hours of sleep each night.

One thing that makes BGR special is Freezone. Freezone is a state of mind that allows everyone to completely be themselves, be vulnerable, and know that everyone around them will accept them for their stories, their accomplishments, their failures, and who they are as a person. Each year during BGR, a Freezone skit is performed showcasing how different everyone really is and how important it is to accept everyone. Purdue is a very diverse university, with students from every corner of the world. Freezone is a way to bring everyone together.

Boiler Gold Rush has changed my life. It fills my heart to know that BGR has been such a huge part of my life for the past three years. I have met the most amazing people, and my greatest college memories have been made through this program. I encourage everyone to find an organization that they can eat, breathe, and live. Having passion for something is so important and can truly make a difference in your college experience.