As a little girl, I always marveled at student council campaigns whenever they wove their way into the plots of my favorite TV shows. I imagined myself one day making elaborate posters, delivering powerful speeches, and ultimately making a positive impact in my school and community. When I got to high school, it took some time before I felt comfortable putting myself out there and running for office, but I eventually took a risk and immersed myself in the heart of my school’s activities.

By the end of my senior year, student government was more than an extracurricular activity; it was an outlet for me to challenge myself and others to represent our school well and make it a more inclusive place. The demands of college have compelled me to seek out opportunities that are more directly related to my future goals, and this week marks the first time since my freshman year of high school that I have not run for any kind of class or school office. This decision has been a difficult one to arrive at, especially with all of the incredible lessons and memories that I have gathered from my time as a student government enthusiast. I don’t believe that the confident, determined young woman I am becoming and will continue to become would exist today if I hadn’t taken that first risk four years ago, and for that, I am forever grateful.

Like most any meaningful activity, student government challenged me to recognize qualities of courage and creativity that I had not previously seen in myself. Running for office in and of itself required a certain step out of my comfort zone as I discussed school issues with students and plastered pictures of my face all over the campus. Once in office, my responsibilities continued to push me into unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory that often included introducing myself to strangers and interacting with authoritative figures who actually scared me to tears.

I eventually learned that I was not only capable of doing these things, but competent in them. This new level of confidence ultimately empowered me to take more initiative in developing projects that addressed my biggest passions in challenging and creative ways. Regardless of the activities I choose to pursue while in college, I know that this self-assurance will enable me to approach my fears and obstacles with poise, ingenuity, and pride.

Most importantly, however, student government helped mold my compassion for others and my heart for community. Working with a diverse array of fellow officers, and an even more diverse array of students in my school, emboldened me to cultivate an understanding of each person’s individual strengths, weaknesses, values, and interests in order to best address their needs. I learned to have authentic conversations with strangers, and even when the conversation didn’t lead to a lasting friendship, it always fostered a greater sense of unity and mutual respect.

There’s so much power not only in asking a person about their likes, dislikes, worries, and goals -- but in actually caring. This is a lesson that I must continue to apply outside of formal leadership roles as I continue to encounter new faces in a college environment. The vulnerability that these authentic interactions requires can be intimidating and uncomfortable, but is always well worth it in the end.

So, while the napkins we folded for homecoming floats and the tissue paper flowers we made for school unity campaigns might not be of eternal worth and importance, the lessons they taught us are. Even the most mundane tasks can teach us a great deal about hard work and determination, and the risks that our responsibilities require us to take help us learn more about who we really are.

If a sport, activity, or organization that has meant a lot to you in the past is slowly starting to make its way out of your life, know that it’s okay -- and often necessary -- to let go. But take heart in the knowledge that the person that activity has helped you become will always be with you and is equipped to face any new opportunities and obstacles that might arise on the road ahead.