Tomorrow. On May 17th, 2018 at 5 p.m., I will swipe out for the last time as an employee of the UCF Office of Student Involvement. And honestly?
I will miss this place more than anything.
Because of OSI, I found a home among the thousands of students at UCF. I found a place where I could embrace my individuality and grow my creativity. I found a safe haven from the stresses of academic life.
But more than anything, I found a family.
People who never stopped believing in me and my UCF-BIG dreams. People who encouraged me to test myself when I doubted my ability to succeed. People who truly loved me.
I leave OSI forever impacted by my experience serving there. And for the Knights who will fill the positions I held, I leave with them a legacy to grow even more in the new year.
To any student who isn't involved, I challenge you to change that this year. UCF offers endless ways to get involved for every type of student. You just have to make the effort to find those opportunities, just like I did after hearing three words at freshman orientation:
Involvement changes everything.
Simple, but so, so accurate. As a student who came to campus feeling lost and alone, I needed these words to kick-start my UCF journey. Paying attention to them literally changed my life, including:
- It helped me find my dream career: Which is essentially why any lost freshman gets involved. Very few of us come to college with a clear (or accurate) idea of what we want to do four years later. Because of OSI, and more specifically the OSI Street Team, I got my first taste at marketing and social media. I was hooked. Without that small volunteer position, I would probably still be struggling to like the medical field. And hating my life. And this blog probably wouldn't exist *yikes*
- I deepened my relationship and made new, everlasting ones: I met my boyfriend of three years, TJ, the second day of college in Psychology class. And later, I was blessed to work alongside him in OSI Creative Services in my first of three roles as a Street Teamer. We worked at events, ate lunch, and played office pranks on each other each week. But aside from TJ, working at OSI gave me a network of authentic, loving people who all loved UCF and being involved as much as I did. I am forever grateful for the support they've shown me these past three years.
- I got my first taste of networking (and why it matters): Which happened the day of Spirit Splash 2016, when I met Jenny DeWitt, who was then the Social Media Manager for UCF. After talking for a while, she invited me to attend the monthly UCF Social Media Manager's meetings. I met amazing and talented creators like me in that group, who led me to connecting with creatives at Universal Orlando, FPRA, Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, Think Creative, and more. This is networking. Meeting people, who know people, and meeting those people, and building a community who loves and supports you no matter what.
- I was able to help my fellow Knights find a home at UCF: This comes from being part of the everyday culture of OSI. You constantly see events being planned and executed, people making them happen, and resources being created and bettered. Having this knowledge allowed me to connect other Knights to campus resources and define their own journeys. In fact, I made this very idea the mission of OSI's social media: helping Knights create their own unique involvement journeys.
- I found a respite from college stress and academia: Because when you're throwing ducks into a pit of students, everything else seems to melt away. The moment I stepped into OSI, I felt the stress of college and life slide off my shoulders. In OSI, I found peace. In OSI, I found escape. In OSI, I found fun. A life without involvement gives students no way to escape the stresses of academic life. College seems less valuable when it is only classes and homework. Involvement makes the money you spend seem valuable; almost like buying tickets for a concert. It is all worth it for the memories and exhilarating high that involvement brings. This is what OSI did for me, and because of having an escape, I enjoyed my classes more in the long-run.
To end, I'll say this: My involvement story is one of thousands. It is insignificant alone. But combined, every student whose life has changed because of their involvement speaks volumes about why it matters. It changes everything.
So this summer, or even this fall, I challenge every Knight to get involved. Join a club. Attend a campus event. Schedule a KnightQuest consultation. Just do something.
You won't regret it: trust me.
I hope you enjoyed my latest blog post!
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~Beyond Words~