“Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” –Anais Nin
Growing up, my family always preached that life is about the people I meet and memories I forge with those people. Therefore, at an early age, I’ve developed an unyielding drive to seek out opportunities that will broaden the world for me.
When I started at UW-Madison, I actively sought for an organization that would feed this desire of mine. One of the great things about UW-Madison is that it’s home to a wide range of programs that can stretch a person’s sense of the world. Nonetheless, with so many options, how do you know which one will be the best for you?
A friend of mine introduced me to the club BRIDGE. With his simple explanation, I intuitively knew I had to join. BRIDGE’s objective is to unite international students and U.S. citizens together so that together they can learn, share, explore, challenge and evolve as inquirers of the world. It encourages its participants to step out of their comfort zone and experience something different and new with people from all corners of the world. By listening to my intuition to join, I’ve created friendships with people that’ll surpass the test of time.
The weekend before Thanksgiving 2018, six BRIDGE members and I all went on a road trip to Toronto, Canada. All of us were essentially strangers at the beginning of this semester. Now, our weekend filled with card games, inside jokes, dance parties, poutine and the 14-hour car ride there and back will forever be ingrained in our hearts as a weekend filled with people who have made my world a happier, more memorable place.
Additionally, I’ve been able to explore unique opportunities in Madison with my partner Seito that I otherwise wouldn’t have. One evening, Seito and I listened to the climber Mark Synnott talk about how he’s shaped the world around him by the activities that he’s been part of. He, too, stressed the idea that life is best lived when you’re surrounded by people who value understanding the world more in-depth.
Clubs like BRIDGE open doors to meet new people and expand your world. Through this expansion, the goal is to hopefully figure out which parts of life are truly important. People will always enter and exit your life. For me, this is motivation to grasp life’s generous moments by its horns and take full advantage of all the possibilities that could be.
The people I have met through BRIDGE have reminded me how life should be lived — with people!