Alright, you’ve made it. You’re in college, pursuing a degree…but what else are you doing? Are you involved? Making friends? Enjoying college life? A lot of students tend to get lost in the stress of schoolwork and commitments, and miss out on the bigger picture of college: making connections and gaining experience.

College is vital in building you up as a person. You gain social and professional skills that will last you a lifetime. You meet people that can change your life. You work on things that show the world “hey, I’m a contributing member of society.”

Or at least you can do all of that, but you have to really want to do it.

Hard choices will present themselves to you in odd and confusing ways. Opportunities will be at your door everyday, but you have to walk through that door to turn them into reality.

Some of us walk into college wanting a fresh start, freedom from day to day rules or just an extension of your education. By the end of your four years (or six, or eight...) students seem to want essentially the same thing: an evolution towards becoming their own person, through an experience that is challenging and rewarding.

This isn’t to say a person’s university life can’t be a fun one, there are plenty of ways to have fun and take life a little less serious. Clubs and activities provide an easy outlet, and the new friends and connections you make will allow you to follow your individual passions and crazy ideas.

Once you walk out the proverbial college door, there may be times where you’ll want to crawl right back inside, but those next steps you will take will be a crucial part of your life. From packing up and moving out of your dorm, to walking down the aisle with your degree, every step of the way is integral in building you into the person you are meant to become.

Change doesn't happen overnight. You could wake up tomorrow and not feel like making your college experience any different. But give some thought to how college, especially SEMO, can benefit you as a person. The only person holding you back is you. Get out there and make college the experience of a lifetime!