Real Social Networking

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