As students, we’re always told how important it is to get involved on campus, but sometimes this can seem really intimidating. There are so many options for involvement with clubs, programs, and organizations, how can you know where to start? Not to mention that putting yourself in a situation with new people can be really scary, at least I know it is for me.

I’m currently a junior attending Utah Valley University and there are hundreds of ways to get involved on my campus, as is true with most universities. One of the greatest things I’ve learned is that being involved comes in many shapes and sizes and everyone’s experiences with involvement is different.

Trying new things

My freshman year of college I got accepted into a scholarship program called the UVU Ambassador Program. I helped plan events for prospective students and traveled to different high schools around Utah to educate high school students about attending UVU. This program taught me so much and I loved every minute of my experiences there. However, during my sophomore year I realized that I wanted to try something new. I’m here to tell you that there is nothing wrong with a desire to change. Whether you’re currently involved and looking to try new things or you’re looking where to start, I hope you hear my experiences and are motivated to find the way that is best for you.

Getting outside your comfort zone

I was nervous to try something new and break out of my old routines and habits. Despite this, I knew that if I wanted to continue to live my best college experience, I had to put myself out there and search for something different. This can take time. By my junior year I found what I wanted to do next – participate in my school’s PRSSA Chapter. PRSSA is short for Public Relations Student Society of America. It helps to develop students going into the Public Relations field by expanding their networks and teaching important skills with hands on learning. I had been attending a lot of their events for my classes when I made the decision to run for the secretary position on the student board. This was a hard transition for me because I knew I would be closing a chapter in my life. However, it also meant that I would meet new people and learn skills that were out of my comfort zone.

Accomplishing great things

I decided to take a huge leap of faith by applying and to my surprise, I won! I was shocked, nervous, and excited all at the same time. The moral of the story is that when we take risks, we can accomplish great things. More importantly, taking risks helps us put ourselves in a place that will make us happy. Moving from one form of involvement to the next takes courage, but also has rewards.

My wish for all those who read this is to know that no matter where you are in your involvement, if you want a change, you need to believe in yourself enough to make it happen. It’s okay to be afraid of the unknown, but don’t let it stop you from getting to where you want to be.