Over the course of Fall 2018, I've had the opportunity to participate in a variety of on-campus organizations, special events, and service learning (what was called "volunteer work" when I was an undergrad) opportunities. As I wrote in a previous article, I've learned a lot of student-related lessons this semester, the most valuable being how to get wisely involved on campus.
Yesterday, the journey along this yellow brick road continued, with the latest series of steps taking me to a sign on the side of the road I'd not really paid attention to before. The sign reads "society." Society, in this case, is a type of organization, one that caters to students from a particular degree program, major, or career field (but doesn't necessarily exclude students who are not in that degree program or major, as I was to discover).
Many of East Carolina University's majors, degree programs, and associated career fields have an on-campus society. The American Library Association (ALA) is the one affiliated with my major, Library Science.
Yes, I am part of ECU's student chapter of ALA. Ironically and interestingly enough, though, being part of this campus org didn't prompt much consideration about the societies that can help define a student's college experience. Up until yesterday, my focal points were on campus orgs (as in, ones that cater to a cause, like the Purple Pantry, or ones related to a demographic aspect of one's identity, like the Sexuality and Gender Alliance, or SAGA), special events, or service learning opportunities.
That was how I defined a fulfilling, rewarding, and challenging college experience. Those three doors were the ones I'd crossed the threshold of, and I'd spent the semester exploring what lies on the other side of those doors. It took an event from yesterday morning for the "society" door to be opened. That was what it took to encourage me to explore what lies on the other side of a certain society's door.
In hindsight, I wasn't surprised that social media--Instagram, in this case--played a crucial role in my finding out about the American Society of Interior Design, or ASID. After all, so many of ECU's on-campus orgs, special events, and service learning opportunities I'm familiar with, I found out about through their IG page. No surprise, then, that I discovered ASID on social media.
At any rate, ASID's post from yesterday morning, one advertising their last meeting of the year, was enough to whet my appetite. So, armed with a healthy dose of the intrepid researcher tendency (so often naturally ingrained in librarians), I set off for the meeting spot (in the Rivers Building, the main campus building I'd been in only once before).
As it turned out, the meeting offered a lot of food for thought (not that the physical food provided, provisions of the typical campus org meeting variety--pizza, chips, and cookies--wasn't important or much appreciated). From a faculty member (Charles) and a student (Hannah), I found out a lot of information about ASID. From it, I surmised that I am a good fit for this society.
That is true even if I am not an Interior Design major or ever intend to become an Interior Designer (it seems that an interest in interior design and artistic talent are enough). Because of these people, because of the information, I came to another realization. A feeling I've harbored for some time--my college experience wasn't being fully realized--was there for another reason.
My college experience's jigsaw puzzle had been missing a crucial piece. I need an association that can provide an artistic creative outlet (sorry ALA, but ASID can do this).
At any rate, I'll not get involved in this society until next semester--it's only then that the jigsaw puzzle piece can be officially locked in its rightful place. In the meantime, though, I can rejoice that I found the puzzle piece last night. Because of this, I can rejoice that Spring 2019 promises a college experience closer still to what I long for. It's part of the yellow (gold) brick road that is worth the yet untrod steps.
