When we first come to college, we have a blank slate.

We have nothing tying us down to who we were in high school and no obligations (other than to attend class).

We can be whoever we want to be and do almost whatever we want to do.

We have a copious amount of free time and few restrictions. We come to college with the opportunity to become who we want, and in order to find ourselves we need to sign up for activities and find our passions. The thing about coming to a new place is that we do not have to do what we did in high school, or we can.

But that decision is up to us. We have a freedom that we did not have before.

We do not have our parents hanging over every decision we make, and not having that is liberating and terrifying.

With that freedom comes a lot of responsibility. While it seems like a lot, I do think it is imperative to get involved in things other than class.

Having something else to do keeps me in check, it keeps me from going stir-crazy and it actually helps me do my work.

With an endless stream of time I would always procrastinate my work, but when I am busy, it forces me to do it during any free second I have.

Coming to school I was worried that I would over extend myself and did not want to sign up for much, but I have found the opposite to be true.

I am happier when I am busy — not too busy — but when I do have things to do.

Being busy keeps me accountable because I have to answer to someone else. If it were just me, half of the time I would just give up on work and start watching something on Netflix, but being involved and surrounded by others who are working hard makes me want to do the same.

Getting involved in other activities gives me a sense of purpose other than being a student.

We have schoolwork we need to do on top of other activities we do to keep ourselves busy.

We are constantly juggling various components of our lives — school, extracurriculurs, greek life, sleep, social life, exercise and more.

It is nice to know people in many other facets of the campus — I am not just meeting the freshmen from my classes, I am meeting people who share similar interests as me.