I have a problem with saying no to things.

Not when it comes to drugs, alcohol, or anything that makes me feel uncomfortable, but instances where I'm presented with an opportunity.

These come in a range of various degrees, from being asked to go to dinner with a friend to committing to a time-consuming extracurricular project. I've always been the type of person who feeds off of involvement — I always want to be a leader or make an impact in anything I'm involved in. Just sitting back and not joining things makes me feel useless and empty. To me, if you join something and not impact it meaningfully, then what's the point? I love being a part of various communities, which is why when I came to college got involved right away — I rushed a business fraternity, joined the Odyssey, and in the spring, rushed my sorority. In the process of these things, I've met some truly amazing people who have already changed my life in ways they do not know.

I'm also someone who values school and my alone time, and this semester these two aspects of my life have taken the upper hand over my extracurricular involvement. While I'm proud of this and find fulfillment in doing well in classes I've worked hard in, it really affects me when I constantly have to skip out on social things in the communities I've become involved in.

While my first focus is always school, I still feel guilty when I neglect relationships with people I really care about or put a mediocre effort into forging relationships with my pledge class in the organization I've just become a part of. It's hard in the moment to turn down bonding events to study or do homework or even take time to myself and go to the gym. However, I know that this will change with time — I have three more years to be more involved and leave my impact on the organizations that I joined. And there's no shame in putting things off, as long as you follow through later.