Picture this.
Hundreds of freshmen concentrated in one area of campus aimlessly wandering among tables of free stuff as they’re bombarded with all kinds of information about various student organizations and causes. That’s the basic gist of the FASET Student Activities Fair. In the 45 minute span of the fair, the sheer number of clubs can be overwhelming. Plenty of freshmen don’t seem to pay attention to any of the clubs and walk through passively, which is pretty much what I did at my FASET. I realize now that the activities fair may actually be the most important part of FASET.
But is the activities fair more important than registration? I would argue yes, it certainly is. Registration never seems to work out how you want, especially as a freshman when you pretty much get the last pick of available classes. The classes you register for are typically basic core classes and some are just plain boring. Most students have to wait until Phase II registration to get the classes they need anyways, so if your schedule doesn’t work out at FASET, then it almost seems like a waste of time.
The Student Activities Fair is different. Even though it can be stressful and hectic, it’s the only time where you can interact with practically every club on campus. You can’t go home and get the same experience as if you actually interact with members of the various organizations. Plus, we have plenty of clubs on campus that focus on things you probably would never consider or have the means of participating in on your own—meditation, investing, Magic the Gathering and motorsports just to name a few.
It’s easy to get to Tech and focus too heavily on studying and making good grades. You probably know someone that seems to study all the time and never leaves the dorm. But college is more than just making good grades; college is a great time to experience something you’ve always wanted to try—maybe playing a new sport or building robots—and also a perfect opportunity to meet new people. I don’t want to make academics seem unimportant, but you should try and do more than just making the grade.
I joined Symp Vibes, GT’s premiere all-male a cappella group, during my first year at Tech. That was pretty much the only organization I was involved with until this summer. I started to get involved with the Technique around the end of last semester when the current editor-in-chief was looking for someone to work on a videography project. Now, after starting my third year, I’m writing an article. I was never involved with my school paper in high school, and to be honest, I never thought I would be writing for a college paper or any other newspaper for that matter. Going through the process of meeting new people on staff and branching out and trying something new has reminded me once again of how important it is to get involved.
Don’t get bogged down in homework and studying. Find something you think you’ll enjoy and do that. Chances are you’ll make some new friends and even manage to have a little fun in the process.