I want to start by saying that being involved is NOT a bad thing.

There are thousands of interpersonal benefits to being involved in high school, in both your community and in your school system. In fact, I was extremely involved in high school. I was highly involved in the student council, taking on class and student body positions, a section leader in the band, very involved in my church's youth group, and I was a member of various other organizations. I would be a total liar if I said those things didn't leave lasting impacts on me. And, not to mention how many opportunities I gained through them and how much they helped when applying to colleges. However, once you're in your university, those extra-curricular activities may not be there to aid any longer.

I can only speak from experience, but to be honest, it feels like I almost wasted my time.

In high school, I was one of the "gifted kids" who got good grades, was recommended for programs by my teachers, and claimed many leadership positions in different clubs and other organizations. Believe me when I say I worked hard to maintain all of this at every given moment. Admittedly, I have a little bit of an ego problem and I would jump at any chance to tell someone about my position as student body president or that I had been the trumpet section leader in the band.

So, when I got to college, it stung a little when I realized that no one ... really ... cared?

For example, I joined a leadership development program with my university's Student Government Association. This, just to mention, is the only time I have used any high school experience as aid and it probably was because it was for freshman fresh out of high school with no time to develop those new skills or had time to provide their services before the year started. I realized that everyone was class president or student body president; everyone got top marks; everyone got accepted to multiple universities and got great scholarships.

It wasn't me above anyone, it was me along with everyone. That isn't to say I had thought of myself as better than anyone, but it made me feel like I hadn't actually done anything worth mentioning any longer.

Another point in time when I realized that my high school honors and memberships and positions and status didn't matter was when I sat down in a resume-making workshop. The instructor moved on to the section about volunteer work and honors we had earned ... while in college. As a college freshman in her fall semester who was just trying to get by, I felt ashamed that I did not yet have those honors or all that volunteer work that previously would have filled the pages from top to bottom. I knew that I would have to work hard to gain those experiences, but I didn't know how.

I doubted there were organizations that would just let me do service whenever I wanted or that would help me gain special skills for a career. I was definitely wrong about that. In my spring semester, I was introduced to a coed service fraternity named Alpha Phi Omega. When I tell you that was the biggest blessing at just the right time, I mean it. In case you didn't catch that, I did say "service" fraternity. An organization built around the concepts of friendship, leadership, and service was the perfect match for my dilemma. I would soon learn about all the amazing opportunities I would have to gain service work, network with other brothers, make lifelong connections, and build key leadership skills.

While I have found my personal solution, I still find myself occasionally wishing I could actually put the volunteer work and all the leadership positions I had earned on my resumes and applications.

Sure, it hurt at first that no one really cared much to hear about the speech I gave at my school's class night (my small town's pre-prom celebration, showing off the seniors). I was really proud of it. But, I'm even prouder of what I'm doing now. I am so proud that, no matter how busy I am, I am developing professional skills little by little and that I am learning new lessons and having experiences that will change my future for good. And this time, it will be totally worth it.

So, to those who are reading this still in high school, don't give up on putting your best self forward in school and your community, but don't think of it as the end-all-be-all.

You have your entire life to build your skills, serve those around you, and gain those meaningful experiences. A new chapter in your life doesn't mean throw away the past, just don't stop moving forward.