If you were like me in high school, you were involved for one reason, and one reason alone: to get into college. We like to think we held leadership positions in high school because we cared, or we wanted to make a difference, or we were passionate about a cause. But ususally, that is not the case. We held leadership positions in high school to put on our college applications and to make us stand above the rest of the applicants. But now, we are in college, we got accepted. Our leadership days are done, right? For some, maybe, but not for those who want to make the most of their college experience. One of the best things about getting involved in college is that you are doing it for your own sake. You aren’t doing it to impress someone, or prove something to your parents. You joined Student Government because it interests you, or the video game club because you must learn how to beat that monster thing in level 56 of Halo. Coming in as a Freshman, I had no interest in getting involved in college. I would have been happy flying low under the radar, watching Netflix in my room and going to an occasional party. I planned on staying close to my high school friends that came here, and I wasn’t worried about making connections. But behind all that, I also didn’t want to admit that I wasn’t good enough to be a leader. Why me? I can’t be in charge of anything. I know it will go down in flames. Luckily enough, I had a friend who coerced me into going through sorority recruitment. After accepting my bid to my organization, I was given the opportunity to run for a leadership position, and I took it. Sure it was small and really not that important, but it was a stepping stone. After I held that position, I slowly applied for more, and branched out to other offices all around campus. Leadership positions are addicting. You get one, you try your hardest to make a difference, you learn your strengths and weaknesses, you get better, more confident as a person, and then you want another one. You meet people with the same interests as you. You want to surround yourself with others that make you want to be a better person. You go from being a shy freshman alone in her dorm to a strong, independent leader some might see as a role model. And when you look back as a senior, you might think to yourself, what If I hadn’t gone to that information meeting, or signed up for this committee, or ran for this position. Where would you be as a student, who would be your friends, and how much of college did you really experience?
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at USF chapter.