About four years ago I began my exodus that is college.
Best decision I have ever made. I love school. I also hate it. We are in a very
complex relationship. I would be absolutely lost without Weber State University
telling me how to spend my weekday nights. However, this post isn't about how
much I love and appreciate higher education. It is about what I think that
every person needs to understand when they go to school. College is more than
just books. It is about people.
With that in mind, College gives us the opportunity to
forget the drama that was prom dances and 1 week romances and lets us begin
again. We are thrown into a world where no one knows who you are, what you have
done, or what click you were in. They don’t care about your religion, your
sexual orientation, or your morals. It’s awesome. Sometimes though I think we
don’t realize that we have the INCREDIBLE opportunity to branch out and meet
these cool new people. To participate in real social networking is a beautiful
thing. And yet…a lot of us don’t. WHY!? We cling to our high school friends and
don’t want to explore the world of higher education. Granted I love my high
school friends. But they are real friends. I will never lose contact with them.
Most of the other “High School” friends I had are now just memories. I have
seen both sides of the social network on campus. The side where I didn’t branch
out and the side where I did. And I am so glad I did. Here is my story.
Freshly graduated I knew exactly what I wanted to do with
my life. I want to work with kids. Make them healthy. Make them laugh. I want
to be a pediatrician. (now I am thinking pediatric psychiatry…buts that’s
another story…) So when I was accepted to Weber State I was ecstatic. Weber is
an awesome school. Surprisingly for pre-med students as well. However, as much
as I am a Wildcat. Weber has its cons. It is a MASSIVE commuter school. Meaning
that a lot of the students come to go to classes and then get out of there
ASAP. With this in mind Weber loses a lot of the “college atmosphere.” Unlike
USU or the U or even the terrifying BYU, Weber doesn’t have the massive college
life experience. Unless you change that yourself.
My freshman year on campus I was dating my high school girl
friend. We both had the same interests and thought it would be a great idea if
we took similar schedules. Worst idea ever. While it was fun, looking back on
it, I made a huge mistake. I made absolutely no new friends at Weber that first
year. I studied with her, I went to class with her, I only talked to her in
class, we did projects together, and group work together. Big mistake. I took
human anatomy my first year and could’ve had the amazing opportunity to network
with some really cool people. But I didn’t. I went to school to go to school,
then I would leave and hang out with…..? The same girlfriend. Big mistake.
Then I left and had a spiritual awakening in Uruguay for
two years. Good decision. Here I got a taste of social networking (the real
kind). I met thousands of phenomenal people who I cherish dearly. One of which
is now one of my closest friends. The mission taught me how to put my personal
reservations aside and get to know people. It was awesome.
I returned from the mission and in three months started school
again. With no girlfriend I was ready to rock the campus scene. However, my
girlfriend was now replaced with my brother. Who I did everything with on
campus. We studied together, went to lunch together, drove together, and
complained together. Once again I trapped myself into a rut. I didn’t
socialize. I took some AMAZING classes with awesome people and I just left them
in the dust.
Then my brother left on his mission, and I finally was all
alone on campus. But what did I do? Not socialize. Bad decision. I don’t even
know the name of my chemistry partner from intro to chemistry. We only worked
side by side for 14 weeks…but did I talk to them…!? No. Bad decision.
Then my incredible wife entered the picture. She couldn’t
believe that I had no college friends. She is USU’s number one fan and had an
incredible college experience. I soon became envious of her awesome stories
from college. So I made the plunge. I started to talk to people. I went out of
my way to talk to those who were going to the same classes as I was. And it
changed my entire academic career.
His name was Dan Jensen. We took Principles of Zoology II
together. I decided I was going to become his amigo. His Bro. His friend. And
BAM! It happened. He is a crazy smart kid who is in my same field. We would
proof read each other’s work as to get a good grade on it. He also took
chemistry with me. BAM we studied together and this weird feeling of what a
college should actually feel like started to happen.
It was that decision and idea from my incredible wife that
made all the difference. I am now the creator and vice-president of the
neuroscience club. I helped organize and volunteer for Brain Awareness Week. I
am a member of the Golden Key Society. I Am now the Co-director for Brain
Awareness Week. I tutor physiology and SI for neuroscience. I am doing research
with a professor and may get to present it at a huge conference in Kentucky
next year. I organize and plan study groups with loads of incredible people who
amaze me. A 16 year old college student who is taking theoretical algebra.
(what does that even mean!?) A pre-med student who when I joked that she should
make me soup… and ACTUALLY DID IT! I
actually talked to my Organic Chemistry partner this time and now he is one of
my best guy friends.
 |
| Super Amigos. (Thats friend in spanish...) |
Moral of the story is I can’t walk around campus now
without seeing a friendly face and saying hello to someone. I am involved in
the activities on campus. It feels fantastic. Now I am a FIRM (blue) believer
that socially networking on campus is the only way to get the most out of your
college experience. It gives me reason to go to school. Not only am I going to
class, but I am applying that knowledge into my extra-curricular all the while
making new friends. Its incredible.
To those of you who are starting your freshmen year. GET
INVOLVED! That means more than just joining a club or having a study session.
Become friends with those who are around you. Go out to eat, go see movies, and
hangout outside of campus. Even if they live forever away. It is worth it. I
promise. I have been on both sides, and I am never. Going back to the other
side.
P.S. 5000 Blog points. This was a long one. ;D
