When I first came to college, I was so excited to get involved in as much as I could. I wanted to meet new people, hear new voices and find my niche on campus. I quickly realized how important having a solid community was.
When we are young, our "community" is mainly made up of family and friends and maybe some other acquired groups our families are involved in. However, in college, most of us are not near our families or even our old friends so we quickly adjust and scramble to find community. Some of us find it in sororities or fraternities, in professional organizations, part-time jobs or any other student life opportunities.
My first year, I found this community through an amazing program called the Member Leadership Program. Here, I had a little piece of home because it was a professional/personal development organization that was a branch of the Hispanic Student Organization. Through this program, I met some of my best friends in college and made connections with wonderful people.
As the years passed, I had the opportunity to volunteer in different places and join other business organizations. Slowly but surely, I recognized the importance of having people that consistently supported and challenged me. If I hadn't put myself out there and come out of my shell, I never would've met the phenomenal people I know today.
Perhaps, the best example of finding community was studying abroad in Spain this past summer. This was a dream of mine for years and it finally happened. Little did I know that what I already assumed would be a great trip would actually be life-changing. I grew closer to old friends and met new friends that would leave a lasting impact. There are a few specifically (you know who you are) that made community even more known to me when I came back to Gainesville.
By getting involved in Chi Alpha, I met even more like-minded people than I thought. I felt so welcomed and overjoyed that I had a new community to talk about God with and see the way He transforms lives. All in all, I can't wait to see what next year at UF has in store for me. Community has become such a meaningful part of my life with every organization I have joined.
When we come to college, it feels daunting to try to find a place we feel we can be ourselves in. My advice is to try it all and never be afraid of walking up to someone new because you never know what goodness that person could bring into your life.