When you get to college or just starting out what’s the first thing that people say? “Get involved”. Now this may be a really corny or cliché thing to say but it’s the absolute truth. This could mean anything, clubs, intramurals, athletics, or just making friends. However, even though the people who say this may start to become annoying when they say this, they are speaking the truth. Getting involved has to be the greatest thing you could do while in college and I will tell you why.

When I started out in college, I was not involved in much. I was told to make sure that I join the club of my major when the club fair came around. So that’s what I was focused on and didn’t look at really any of the other clubs that were there. In my major’s club, we would have some meetings and little get-togethers and that was it. Other than that my first semester was quite boring. I didn’t have anything to do and I was locked in my room for the most part.

In December of my freshmen year, I saw on the wall for Campus Ministry a sign up for a retreat. I signed up and that was the best decision I could have made. This was the where I started my college experience for real. On the retreat, I made great friends and that was really how I got involved. After that, I just started growing in the people I knew and expanded my horizons. Like I said in a recent article I joined the Dance Ensemble. That was because I signed up for this retreat. Two of my closest friends were on this retreat with me and they really helped and I’m grateful.

As the year went on I became more of myself. I was a really shy person in high school and I can say that I’m coming out of my shell a lot more than I did in high school. This past year again I’m more involved than I thought I’d be. I’m a part of clubs and groups that I never thought I’d be a part of also. Today, I proud to say that I love college, not for the parties and all that but for the friends and clubs I’m a part of. Which is why the whole “get involved” thing is not cliché or corny as heck. It’s the absolute truth.

Again I went from being in my room almost every day in my first semester of college to being excited about going to college and seeing the great people I have met. So my message is the fact that yeah it may sound stupid and you’re probably like “yeah I know I’ve heard this before” don’t take it as a suggestion. It’s the absolute truth and you won’t regret any of the time you have while in college if you are in clubs with groups.