I sometimes joke that my freshman year at The College of Wooster was my “experimenting with engagement” year.
My year proved to be hectic yet incredibly fulfilling due to my involvement on campus.
The only problem with this story is that it is a unique one.
So many students on this campus fail to see how much power they have. It breaks my heart when students complain about issues on campus but refuse to do anything about it. Yik Yak is a prime example of this. It is said all the time that we students have “no voice” in the changes made on campus, when the truth runs completely to the contrary. The efforts of countless individuals have afforded Wooster’s students with a myriad of opportunities to affect change on our campus, across the nation, and even around the world. I and, more importantly, so many others are proof of this.
Here are two of my personal experiences of getting involved at the College.
First: Last fall, I heard about a political science program called “Presidential Elections 2016” that involved studying presidential elections for a semester and doing political research at the national party conventions. Even as a nervous and shy first year, I decided to apply. I was soon accepted into the program and had the remarkable opportunity of being able to learn, network and grow in a real-life political setting. I am returning to campus this fall far more confident in our electoral process and in myself.
Second: Last winter, I overheard folks discussing the upcoming Student Government Association election. With an excited heart and shaky hands, I signed up to run as an At-Large-Senator and won a spot. I wanted to do something to improve our reusable mug program. I and many others worked tirelessly to create and make the Lug Your Mug program a success. I am happy to say the program is now up and running smoothly.
And yet, I still hear students complain about how our administrators “don’t care” or that it is “just impossible” to affect change here at Wooster.
I will tell you — truthfully — that you are wrong. Our faculty and staff care. They want to hear your ideas. Our administrators genuinely want to see you be happy and thrive. There is no excuse for remaining passive to something you dislike because there is no shortage of opportunities to get involved on campus.
Want to help change the outcome of the presidential election? Contact the local Trump or Clinton campaign groups to get involved. Want to see a different kind of food in Lowry or Kittredge? Join the student food committee.Wish a new club existed on campus? Create the club.
Do you see the trend? I’m not going to say that effecting change is ever easy — it is not. But getting engaged here at the College is easy and incredibly fulfilling. Our faculty and staff want us to be happy — they just need us to speak up. Stand up, speak out, and get involved. Trust me, this is an experiment worth doing.
Annabelle Hopkins, a Contributing Writer for the Voice, can be reached for comment at AHopkins19@wooster.edu.