When people think of college, I often wonder what it is that defines it for them. I went to MATC straight out of high school, and the only thing I was thinking of was how fast I could complete my degree. I went to a small high school that didn’t have any extracurriculars to speak of, so I didn’t even think to look into it when I went to college. Perhaps, unsurprisingly, my first attempt at college… went terribly.

Without any friends to bond with, clubs to keep me committed, or even just a student job to spend my time at, every moment of my life became focused on classes. I took on more and more personal responsibilities and classes and like many students, burned out. 

Unable to salvage the semester, I dropped out of school. Now, seven years later,  I’m back to try this all again, older, and much more mature. I set out to commit myself to not just taking college for the classes but for the community that we all make up. Even so, I admit that at first when I returned last spring I found myself struggling to follow that commitment. Like many of you, I work full time while going to class so trying to find time to explore clubs or sports can be really difficult.

With that background, I thought this column could be useful, not just for myself but for many other students in my position as well. So come along with me as I explore the clubs, organizations, and sport teams that our school offers. My aim here is to introduce you to them, give you a bit of background on how they came to be, and finally let you know how open they are to new people.

My hope is that by building a more active and involved community we can all help each other stay committed and able to have fun in between our classes.