Enjoy college while it lasts
COMMENTARY
Dale Smith

The hustle and bustle of the annual Howdy Week Activity Fair never ceases to amaze me. Every year I roam up and down the isles of booths in utter amazement of all the groups and activities available at TCU. After receiving more pamphlets, fliers and free food than I could possibly carry, I eagerly return home with intentions of once again building my resume in hopes of making myself more marketable to future employers. If I can just join one more group or hold one more leadership position, I will be better off when it comes to that interview, I always tell myself.

But where does this leave me? For the past few years I have over-committed and spread myself too thin when it comes to extracurricular activities. In the end, I simply become yet another lukewarm member of an organization that I use to be excited about.

Entering my senior year, though, has got me thinking more and more about what I want my last year to be like. In addition, the words of graduated seniors from years past have stuck in my head. With only a few exceptions, none of the alumni whom I have talked to recently wish they had been more involved outside of classes or had taken on one more leadership role. Rather, they simply wished they had put more energy into the activities that mattered most to them and had more time to enjoy the friendships they had fostered over the years.

Maybe this is why I got a different feel from the activities fair this year. I didn’t wander around aimlessly like years past looking for one more organization to put in my day planner. In fact, the thought of joining one more group just for status or to boost my resume was sickening. The more I walked around, the more I realized I want to pour more of my time and energy into the activities that I am already involved in. I want to give all my sweat to the previous commitments I’ve made. Besides, nobody likes a half-hearted, over-committer.

Still, there is so much more to the “college experience” than all the groups and clubs you belong to. Involvement may look good on an application some time soon, but once you graduate, what really matters? That is to say, what are you really going to miss once you’re on your own? After hearing the words of wisdom offered by alumni and thinking about what really makes me laugh and enjoy life, I have finally come to realize that it all boils down to relationships. During my freshman year, I remember a Campus Crusade canoe trip, long road trips to Colorado, Pine Cove, my first caving expedition and, of course, countless trips to Chipotle: It is these events and the people I shared them with that I am going to miss the most and the things that are truly important. It’s way too late for a new year’s resolution, but instead of being consumed in making myself more marketable for that perfect job someday, this year I want to simply enjoy the people around me who have blessed me with their friendship these past three years.

Don’t get me wrong. If you are a freshman, get involved. Get out there and find your niche in this campus. You have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get to do and see things you may never get the chance to do again. Just don’t let your busy schedule consume you. Instead of always looking at what is ahead, enjoy the time you have been given. As David Reese, a May 2003 graduate put it, “Life is very strange on the outside. Enjoy your time on the inside!”

Dale Smith is a senior criminal justice major from Longmont, Colo.