Do you go to a CUNY and are a commuter student? If yes, there are problems that come along with that. For one thing, a casual commuter student is usually not very social and active in the campus’ events. Of course, there are many that ARE involved, but that is only because they know they have a passion for a particular club/event.
My freshman year at Hunter was pretty fun. My best friend was at Hunter at that point (later on she transferred to NYU) and we checked out several clubs and events during that time. Unfortunately, we didn’t find a connection with them, because for us it wasn’t fun. On my own, I would go to the LGBTQ club every week and I made a few friends there, but eventually, I lost interest and stopped going. Sometimes you realize something is not for you by testing it out and it fails to fulfill you. I also checked out the Hillel (Jewish) club. I thought I would be able to connect with some people but unfortunately, it just didn’t click. I felt out of place.
Finding your niche is very important when you are growing up. Back in middle school, I participated in all of my school's plays; I was in the ensemble but I really enjoyed it. In the beginning of high school, I was in this club that did many events: Key Club, and then the National Honors Society. It was fun and I felt a connection and had several friends. Towards the last few years there, unfortunately again, I lost interest and stopped going to clubs altogether.
Not being involved in clubs negatively affected my mental health. Over time, in high school for starters, I started to feel like my life had no purpose and I slipped into depression. I'm not saying that being in clubs is the solution to a possible mental health problem but it gives you something to do and people to connect with. Usually, if someone wakes up in the morning and knows they have a particular purpose they do not slip into depression; they don’t have time to.
A big part of depression is overthinking the same situation over and over again with feelings of guilt attached to it, as if it was your own fault for feeling this way. As I understood over time that it wasn’t my fault, I started to push myself into friendships again. Friendships, like clubs, are a way of getting involved. If you meet a friend and then decide that during your breaks you will go to lunch and hang out, it gives you something to look forward to and the day is less of a drag.
Just this past week a friend and I went up to the terrace just to talk and enjoy the campus and fresh air, and it was a game changer. No, it is not a club but it is something social. As a commuter student, it is important to develop real friendships even though you are not exactly away, in a sorority, or dorming.
Getting involved makes you feel like you are not at school just to do schoolwork and go home. It makes the days less bland and repetitive. Honestly, it is okay if you can’t find your niche in a club or if you find yourself not going to school events. You can turn out okay with or without getting involved, but sometimes just a connection to the school makes you feel excited and even happy.
When I was given the opportunity to write for Odyssey I was ecstatic. Now about 2 months in and several articles later, I’m finding my voice and building my portfolio for a possible future in writing, which I’ve always wanted. So find any way you can to feel involved in your college and there will be less of a chance to allow depression to slip in. There will be more positivity and you may find a passion within you that you haven’t explored yet.