Being a college student is supposedly a full-time job, but anyone that has ever accepted a B as a good grade will know, being a student is not full time in the traditional way that it is meant. Now, if that phrase included extracurriculars, such as student government, honor societies, Greek life, and sports -- not beer pong, bed hopping, or other "extracurriculars" that the media portray -- being a student becomes full time. Sometimes my extracurriculars take up more time than my actual curriculars. And it isn't that my grades are low either -- my GPA is fairly strong, though my mother would say it could be higher; it is to say that what happens outside the classroom is just as important.
Without the struggles of being a leader, a lot of my growth from these extracurriculars would not be realized. One of the problems is the aforementioned balance of what it means to be a student and only having 24 hours in a day. A huge obstacle that I have found in being a student leader is having to deal with your peers. Not only do you have to gain their attention -- not the easiest of feats in this technological and fast-paced age -- but you have to earn their respect. As I came up in the ranks of my student organizations mostly as a sophomore, this was something that was hardest for me. I had two classes above me who thought I could not stand my ground or that I was there to change what they had previously built.
The age issue was particularly hard in my sorority. A lot of older sisters saw me still as a silly freshman and not as someone in charge of them. What made it even harder, though, was that these were my sisters. It was very difficult to be mad at them, and confusing when they were rude. At the time, I was cranky and stressed, but retrospectively, I realize how much I have learned. I have learned that delegation not only takes some pressure off of you but helps people connect to you. I have learned that it is okay to be annoyed at people but they aren't going to know how to fix it until you tell them what is wrong. Most importantly, I have learned the hardest people to lead are those you love.
Being a student leader means that I have answered four emails while trying to write this article. Being a student leader means endlessly renewing your Starbucks Gold Membership -- both because of the need for caffeine and the need to get the heck off campus sometimes. Being a student leader means staying up all night making posters for two different events. It also means creating meaningful change, meeting other students who value the same things as you, and creating the college experience that you want. Being a student leader means realizing your potential and helping others do the same.
I don't know if my name will be remembered down the road or if I will end up affecting real positive change, but I do know that I would never imagine myself where I am now and that I am incredibly proud of what I have accomplished, and that is what really matters.
