Editorial: Finding your passion within clubs

As someone who enjoyed my high school experience — being a part of multiple sports teams, student council and DECA, to name a few — it seems almost obvious that I would say getting involved in university will be the best thing you ever do and to 100 per cent apply to Laurier. 

Yet, during my first two years at Laurier, I wanted absolutely nothing to do with this place. In first year, I didn’t have the most ideal living situation — I lived in the dungeon that is 50 University Place and didn’t talk to any of my roommates except for the one I slept five feet away from. Even then, she wasn’t the kindest person to me behind my back. I had spoken to my residence coordinator to discuss moving out of residence for my winter semester. 

So, what was the only thing keeping me in residence? The fact that I played on two intramural teams. The residence coordinator had just come out to one of the games, and she knew how much being part of a team and having fun was good for my mental state, even during one of my darkest times. My residence advisor on my floor was my coach for both teams and is still a life-long friend of mine to this day. 

Sports Management Laurier was looking for a sports journalist, and I applied. I wasn’t in business, and didn’t have any published work, but I thought I’d give it a try. When I got the email that said I was hired, I knew my life was about to change for the better, and it sure has.

Things slowly started to look up for me, as my not-so-nice roommate eventually ended up dropping out and it was just me by my lonesome in my room for my second semester of first  year. 

Though the immediate drama was out of my life, she was really my only friend and even by the end of second year, I only had two friends who were my roommates from that year. I had still lost previous friends through the drama that accompanies four 20-year-olds living on their own with no rules for the first time ever. So here I was, 20 years old going into my third year of university with two whole friends. 

I wanted to transfer so badly; I said I just wasn’t in the right program, but realistically, I was so terribly upset over the fact that my life was nothing like it was in high school — I just wanted to start over somewhere else.  It seemed to me like all of my other friends were thriving and I was a friendless loser who would probably stay that way forever. 

That all changed when I decided I wanted to go into sports writing as a career and looked for resume builders within my school. 

Sports Management Laurier was looking for a sports journalist, and I applied. I wasn’t in business, and didn’t have any published work, but I thought I’d give it a try. When I got the email that said I was hired, I knew my life was about to change for the better, and it sure has. 

Flash forward to my fourth year, and I don’t want to leave Laurier. I’ve joined so many clubs, I work for Laurier Athletic, and I’ve really found my people here. Just because your first and even second year may not be what it seems like in the movies or even what your friends from high school are experiencing at their schools, it will get better — you just have to put yourself out there.