With professional life just around the corner, us college students are aware that we need to begin to focus on things that define us as more than just a number. Yes, grades and test scores are paramount, but they do not allow for enough variation. Professional career recruits receive applications from tons of worthy students with similar grades and scores - often too many to admit. In order to find students that they think would best fit their job titles, they then look at the other parts of the application, including the resume.

The resume is meant to show a student's experience, but also what they are committed to and interested in. What a student is involved in outside of the classroom says a lot about them as a person, and recruits are interested to see this side of each student. Unfortunately, as college students, especially college freshman, we are told that our resume must be stripped of all high school-related activities after our first year. This means removing our biggest accolades from the last four years, all of our hard work and dedication to build the perfect college resume, and starting completely from scratch.

For many, this idea is daunting and it is procrastinated until there is nothing left to do but cram. We wait until a few weeks before summer until we realize, "oh no, I have nothing on my resume for next year." Once this realization hits, we do a minimal amount of research and see what clubs on campus could possibly still be taking new members at this time in the school year and join, unaware of our responsibilities within the club, and unpassionate about the work we will have to put in in the future.

I believe this notion, that resumes must be stripped of high school experience at the beginning of sophomore year, is intimidating to students and can cause resume building that is taking the heart out of activities. The importance of a diverse, strong, resume is clear, but for many freshmen, this "complete wipeout" is creating less passionate intentions.

When freshman first came to campus, before the resume realization kicked in, they participated in activities and volunteered for organizations because they were truly curious, or motivated by passion. They enjoyed what they are doing and even wanted to do it. Now, with a time crunch to create the perfect diverse resume, freshman are often seen striving for quantity instead of quality. These are not accusations stating that all freshman are participating in events because they have to and not because they want to, but instead it is just a single freshman taking notice of the events going on around her.

Since I, too, am a freshman in college, I am about to reach the resume sweep stage. The list of activities that many students have joined at the last minute have frequently come up in a group conversation, and what I have found is astonishing. My friends have called some of their activities "pointless" and have even described motivations for participating as "I did it because it would look good." They seem to be acquiring a list that fits either a job field's best interest or a last minute crammer's best interest, not their own. As a student, I understand procrastination and also the challenges of obtaining a job, and am not one to say that portraying your best image shouldn't be the goal, but I am one who believes in passion behind participation.

I, too, have struggled to culminate a list that is most appealing to job recruits in this rushed freshman year, but I believe that a student will find a match no matter what and there is no reason to showcase yourself as someone that you are not. Just because there is this fast-paced race to fix up your resume before it is empty sophomore year, does not mean you should work to fill it with activities that have no internal meaning to you. The idea of a blank resume should be taken as a clean slate, and each student is free to do what they want with it.

Any pressure that compels people to do good for the community is generally a beneficial thing, but to do it for the sake of adding something to a list because you are low on time feels wrong. My experience says that most people if they think carefully and look hard enough, will find opportunities to give back that truly resonate. There is a myriad of ways to give back, and I believe finding one that fits you, your passions and interests, can do more than just build your resume. There is no limit to worthwhile organizations that need help or clubs that could use a few extra members, and it seems too often we settle for events that are convenient, and not ones that enrich us. I have seen friends be truly changed by their participation in certain organizations, and I have experienced this myself.

Although this may seem distant, because of the way society's motivations have changed, it is possible for everyone, and I believe it is something we should all strive for. My advice, to fellow freshman, and all resume builders, at that, is to take a step back and dedicate your time to something you are truly interested in - don't let the rush force you into activities that you will only add to a list.