If you know me, then you know I have one of the longest email signatures in my entire school. It's become a joke topic between friends, teachers, bosses and sometimes prospective students. To spell it out, I started off as a normal student who was involved in a normal amount of things. Somehow, by my senior year, the number of groups I actively participate in is 10.
Just to start things off right, here's what goes at the bottom of every email I send:
Lauren Romagnano
NDMU '17
English Major, Music & Drama Minors
BA/MAT Program
Student Ambassador
Orientation Leader
Peer Tutor
Elizabeth Morrissy Honor's Program President
Concert Choir President
Pitch Fit President
Ye Merrie Masquers Secretary
Odyssey Editor
Alpha Psi Omega President
Sigma Tau Delta Member
Delta Epsilon Sigma Member
Kappa Delta Pi Member
Crazy, right? On top of my double major and double minor, my three on campus jobs (plus one off campus), I still find the time to be president of four organizations, secretary of another, a member of four honor societies, perform on stage each semester and write for the Odyssey Online. I'm what every parent dreams of when they tell their kids to get involved for college resumes.
This isn't how I started out, though. In high school, it seemed crazy when my senior year I was president of both choir and drama, secretary of the International Thespian Honors Society, while being in main-stage plays and an honor student. I successfully did it and I kept to the same things when I began at Notre Dame of Maryland University. After my first year, things kept popping up that I wanted to be a part of. Jobs became important because I needed money for this and that, honor societies became important to share intellect and prove my academic prowess and the board positions came with being a natural leader.
While I'm the first to tell students that being involved is great and amazing, I'm also the first to say limit yourself your first year. I worked my way up to all of these incredible groups that I participate in and if I had joined all 10 off the bat my first year, I would be crazy. I worked my way up to being president of four groups the way other students worked up to taking an 18 credit semester (which loses its fear-factor the fourth consecutive semester you do so--take it from me). If you want to be involved in so much the way I am, here are some hints I can offer to make the transition easier.
Work up to it. Don't try to overstretch yourself your first semester at a new school. Take time to understand the rigor of your department and the limits of your own self.
Find groups that blend. Since I perform on stage, it was natural to join the drama club and later the drama honor society. Because I love singing, it was easy to join both formal Concert Choir and PitchFit, the acapella group. Find the groups that mesh well and see how it goes joining more than one of the same sort.
Finally, be true to yourself. If you find that 10 is too much, admit it to yourself. It's okay to step back and schedule in some time to breathe. You could also find 10 is not enough. If you want to join every club on campus, go for it. Just make sure you look before you leap.
Ultimately, I know some people look at me and wonder how I get any sleep. Others just think I'm outright nuts. I know that I'm happy with the 10 groups I dedicate time to and that's why, in my final year of undergrad, I'm proud of my absurdly long email signature.
