Finding your passion can be one of the most challenging, yet most exciting parts of college life. For some people, they come into college knowing exactly what they want to do and the precise steps they need to take to make their aspirations become realities; however, for most of you reading this, I’m willing to bet that you’re not quite sure where this crazy thing called life will take you. Welcome to the club. While I’m happy to say that I’m a lot closer to finding out where my own path is leading me, I recognize that there is much left to be revealed.
When I was a first year, I joined too many clubs and organizations, thinking that trying a little bit of everything would guarantee my success. A few months into my first semester and hundreds of e-mails from random listservs later, I realized that I should probably pick a handful of activities that I thought seemed most promising. For the next year, I continued with my somewhat random assortment of extracurricular activities. But during my second year, I realized that I should begin taking my involvement in these groups more seriously. After failed attempts at vying for leadership positions, I was fairly certain that I would never be the “successful” person I had once envisioned as a young first year. In that moment I felt like a failure; yet, I figured I would apply for just one more position in a much smaller organization just to see what happened. To my surprise, I ended up getting the position and was very excited to take on this role in my third year.
To cut a long story short, this position led me on an entirely new path — one that I could have never imagined for myself at the beginning of my college career. I loved the work that I did in this organization and had a sense of pride and passion that I had not found in many of the other groups that I was a part of. As a fourth year, I now recognize how critical that moment was during my second year. After getting rejected and turned down by other groups, I was somehow able to end up exactly where I needed to be.
To underclassmen who think that keys to success and happiness include joining every single club possible or having 4,000 friends on Facebook, my advice is to take a step back and think about what you are passionate about. What inspires you, what makes you get out of bed in the morning, or what is it that gives you purpose? If you haven’t quite figured that out yet, no worries. I will, however, give you some advice based on my own experiences. First, learn to trust others. College is a big place and sometimes it can seem like you are all alone. But I challenge you to open up and seek out others for advice, guidance, or just to share your thoughts and ideas. Next, step outside of your box. Yes, I realize it can be scary and uncomfortable to expose yourself to unfamiliar settings, but I promise you that every situation can be a learning experience. You never know what you can gain from others or vice versa. Lastly, never give up on yourself. You are your own biggest advocate, so always believe that things happen for a reason. Perhaps, if something does not work out the way you initially intended, that means that there is somewhere else you are destined to be.
I recognize that some of this advice may seem cliché, but I hope you will seriously take it into consideration as you progress through your college career. You only have four years — and trust me, they are short — to make the most out of your time in college. So find what you love, follow your heart, and do what makes you happy. In the words of Anthony Robbins, “Passion in the genesis of genius.” So find your passion and run with it, I promise you it’ll be worth it.
Veronica Alvarado is a fourth-year trustee.
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