Life Lesson Six: Try New Things

It felt like yesterday I was walking into the involvement fair in the Hub. The sheer amount of clubs and people in the room was extremely overwhelming. At every presentation event that I attending before coming to Penn State, they explained how the University inhabited more than 40,000 students  and hundreds of different clubs and activities.  These clubs and organizations were what made Penn State feel small.  College has taught me many things among them, never be afraid to try new things even if it doesn't work out at least you tried it.  That could mean anything from trying new foods at the dining hall, trying different study habitats, or joining new clubs and organizations on campus.


Around the second week of school, I decided to rush a sorority. After a week or so, of the same conversations over and over, and my voice was practically extinct. As the week came to a close I learned that I had gotten a bid from one of the sororities. After attending numerous meetings with the girls that would eventually become my sisters one day I realized, that the sorority life wasn't exactly for me. At first I felt so out of place, all my friends loved the sororities they were in. For some reason I just couldn't see myself being apart of this origination for the next four years of my life, let me remind you a very expensive organization. The whole rush experience was one that I was fortunate for, after all, I was able to meet some amazing people through the whole process.

After the sorority experience I didn't know what I was going to do here at State College since Greek Life is a huge part of our University. At this point I didn't want to try anything new, but then my family friend from home, Matt told me that I had to join a Thon Committee, no if and's or butts. In the back of my mind I kept telling myself that if the sorority thing didn't work out then there was no way the Thon Committee would go well. Finding the Human Behavioral and Health building was like searching for gold. I asked about twenty people where the building was located and even used my the  GPS app  on cell phone. I thought for certain that I was going to miss my interview and blow my chance of being apart of Thon. I'm glad to report that I made it there, pretty district but I made. A bald headed guy told me that the kid before did a back flip, and asked what cool talent I had. That's how my interview started but a few later I got the call that I would be a member of the 2015 Thon Operations Committee. This Committee changed the way I felt about Penn State, I met the greatest people who I would spend every weekend with at State College, the people that would eventually become my best friends and family. With them I was able to experience a life changing event, THON.



Like I said before the involvement fair at our school is pretty insane. From friends club to mortal, to Republicans of State College, to Ohana, and PAD law frat, Penn State offers more than anyone has time for. After coming back from the fair with a stack of about 50 flyers, I decided to join Ohana which is a special interest group associated with THON. In addition, the law frat here at State College called PAD really sparked my interest and I found myself at Monday night meetings. Going to the meetings, at first, is intimidating of course, but as the meetings go on faces get more familiar and the people in the room that once were strangers become your best friends.

Penn State has so much to offer, from all its club sports. To organizations that deal with THON, to its tutoring centers. To all the amazing food places downtown such as Noodles, Qdoba, Uncles Chen's, to the Tavern. Our University has it all however, I would never know any of this I didn't step out of my comfort zone and try all of these new things!