I honestly believe that Hendrix College has been the place that I’ve been wanting to be a part of for so long. It’s a vibrant community where I can be a part of any type of organization from social activism to United Methodist student groups to clubs that just like what I like (film!), and where if you have an idea, well, you should go explore it! “Here,” the Hendrix Odyssey program says metaphorically, “here’s a professor or staff member that would love to sponsor you and see what you learn from this experience! Here’s some money to make your idea happen! Let us know how it goes!” The whole of Hendrix is just teeming with energy and ideas, and I proceeded to get involved in a list not quite a mile long, but pretty darn close.
And I’m not gonna lie, it might’ve looked like I was doing a belly-buster into a lake.
Which at first, maybe I was. I actually wanted to be a larger part in a lot more organizations. I had more and more ideas for projects that I’m now spacing out. I applied for two jobs on-campus (although I only wanted one) and to top it all off, I have five classes (four full-credit and one quarter-credit). And that seems like so much for a freshman in his first semester of college. But I felt like I was ready to take it all on.
And so far, I’m happy.
Between classes for my CompSci major/film studies minor; participation in COGS (Committee on Gender and Sexuality), SAGE (Students Advocating for Gender Equality, of which I am co-Media Chair), the UMYF (United Methodist Youth Fellowship) Scholars program, and hopefully soon the Hendrix Filmmakers; work on OdysseyOnline (my Odyssey project for the year); and everything else; I couldn’t be happier. I’m busy, but not so busy that I can’t socialize or I feel overwhelmed. I’ve met many cool upperclassmen/women and “freshers”, learned about new ideas and ways of thinking in both my classes and on campus, and have just generally been given the resources and tools to really follow my personal passions. And all of that put together has made all the difference.
And it hasn’t been nearly as painful as that belly-buster.
(To keep up with my college stuff, check out JT at College!)
JacobTurner.me 