Here at Texas A&M, there are various traditions. These traditions might be the reason some students choose to study here and others to leave for fear of rejection. That is why it’s great there are so many clubs. There are student organizations for practically everybody, and if no club fits a person’s needs, it is relatively easy to create one.
As a new student, it’s essential to find a place of comfort, which is why every college student should join a student organization. When I started school here, I felt out of place being a first-generation Aggie who had never left Austin. Anyone who has been to both College Station and Austin will know just how different the two cities are. Not only was I facing a new kind of education where I had to manage my time and make big decisions as an adult for the first time, I also had to struggle with not knowing anything about Aggieland beforehand.
Nonetheless, I was lucky enough to discover and join a wrestling club. I wrestled in high school, and being able to join something I was familiar with changed everything for me in college. Now, I didn’t have to search for new people with whom I had common interests because I found a group of friends who became my guides here.
I was socially isolated and I needed a guide, someone to show me there was a place for me in Aggieland. Joining a wrestling club was my salvation from feeling like an outsider.
Most of the people in the wrestling club had already been here longer than I (shout out to the fifth- and sixth-year seniors). So, they knew the ins and outs of College Station. They also had good ideas on how to manage time efficiently, so I did not become overwhelmed with stress. They knew about the places I could go for help and, most importantly, they were the surrogate family I needed, being away from my family for the first time.
Some clubs are time-consuming; you have to be committed. At times, I would be competing in a tournament and I would also have classwork due on the same day. I had to learn to regulate what I could handle. Sometimes when a person decides to focus on schoolwork and misses club activities, people in the club might question your commitment or regret welcoming you into the organization. Other clubs could have members who are a bad influence, given that most college students have only recently left home. It would be easy to follow what other people do.
It’s critical when choosing a student organization that students do not join a club that isn’t true to who they are. My life became more comfortable and satisfying after I joined the wrestling club. With luck, you will find a club that is right for you and college life will become much easier, just as mine did.
Whether you are just starting college or have been here for a while, join a student organization today to gain a family in your home away from home.