A person’s goals and aspirations when beginning college can vary from having absolutely nothing figured out to owning a day-by-day planner that maps out the rest of their life. Sometimes, however, plans change.
FSU, in particular, has given me room to grow and pushed me out of my comfort zone in ways I never expected.
Student Organizations
One thing that I didn’t expect to change my perspective was the array of student organizations at FSU. Back in high school, I found myself scrambling to join clubs towards the end of my junior year. I had the intention that college would be the same, but not at FSU.
FSU gives its student organizations outlets to expand and be known. Events such as Market Wednesday and the semesterly Involvement Fair allow both students and extracurriculars to find one another. When I began my first semester here, I just wanted to join one organization early on. However, the Involvement Fair showed me so many things I was interested in, and I realized I didn’t have to join organizations just because I had to, but because I genuinely enjoyed them.
Student organizations at FSU and their importance to campus culture have shown me that I don’t have to do things because I have to, but because I want to. I no longer wanted to be involved for a resume, but instead to learn and enjoy myself.
The Exploratory Program
One option students have when applying to FSU is joining the Exploratory Program, which offers special classes and advisors to help undecided students find a major they’d like to pursue by the end of their first year. When I initially applied, it was as a statistics major. However, orientation allowed incoming students to change their route, and in a split second, I chose an exploratory route.
Spoiler alert: by the end of the program, I declared my major in statistics, once again. This doesn’t mean that the Exploratory Program didn’t give me room to grow, though.
The class included in the program encourages students to step out of their comfort zones and explore all their options. You’re encouraged to attend panels and career events that show you that no path in life is set in stone.
Though I did end up declaring the same major, the program taught me that declaring a major doesn’t mean I’ll stick with it for the rest of my life. Someone’s path is more about the connections they make and the small actions they take to get them where they want to be.
The FSU Exploratory Program shifted my goals, making them less solidified. I didn’t have to know exactly what I wanted to do in my first year at FSU, and I had the opportunity to figure it out along the way.
Social Life
I didn’t expect to change my goals, but I was able to foster a social life. Truth be told, I didn’t make many of my friends until the end of my first semester. Before I met them, I was stuck on the path I had planned in high school.
After getting to know people I could trust in Tallahassee, I had a system that provided me with resources to know everything will be okay, even if it doesn’t go as planned. I no longer wanted to spend all my time studying. I wanted to dedicate energy to people who reminded me to take it one step at a time and supported any goals I set.
Overall, FSU has given me room to explore who I am as a person, shifting my perspective on what it means to be ready for the real world and, therefore, the goals that I’ll use to get there.
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