Growing up, I’ve never really felt like I belonged in a group. In middle school/high school, the only community I felt a part of was the theatre group, yet as most theatre kids know, they can be a bit too…dramatic. I decided it wasn’t for me, and since then, I hadn’t felt part of a community, even throughout my freshman year of college.

Luckily, this year, I decided to join a club despite having no experience in it at all.

I first saw Gator Salsa Club practicing outside Reitz Union my freshman year, and it caught my interest immediately. Now that I had free time my Sophomore year in my schedule during when the club met, I could finally check it out.

It was definitely intimidating at first, having never danced salsa before. Luckily for me, the group was incredibly non-judgmental and accepting. After having been in Gator Salsa Club for this entire academic year, I can finally say that I’ve found a community and group that I feel like is family. Some of my best friends have come from the group, and I can’t even imagine what it would be like if I never joined and met them.

Although I sometimes feel a bit disconnected when members of the group make references to their Hispanic heritage (a huge majority of the salsa club is Hispanic), I’ve almost become an initiated Hispanic person just from being in the club, and it’s actually inspired me to try to learn more about Hispanic culture, and even begin to learn some beginning Spanish.

I never considered myself a dancer either, always feeling awkward at clubs/parties and not being comfortable “feeling” the music. With salsa and bachata, however, I’ve now found dance styles that fit my taste, and it’s given me an athletic outlet that I never expected I’d partake in. All of these wonderful benefits would never have happened for me if I decided to not join the club, whether that would have been because of anxiety or fear of judgment.

If you’re in a similar situation, I highly recommend getting past that hurdle of apprehension and at least give a new hobby/activity a chance. If it doesn’t work out, at least you’d have more experience, and if you’re like me and get lucky, you might find an activity or club that completely changes your college experience.