Diverging Directions
On the way to one of my afternoon classes this sunny Wednesday, I started thinking back to my first year at Vanderbilt. My thoughts drifted to three friends I used to regularly hang out with in a neighboring House on the Commons. For this entry, I will call them Trent, Jack, and Mike.
These three guys lived across from each other on the same floor as first-year students. As freshman, they spent a lot of time together eating meals, trying the same extracurriculars, and enjoying the same pastimes. I spent a lot of my free time hanging out with them as well. Some of my favorite memories from last year involve this group and our funny study sessions or late nights ordering pizza.
As the year progressed, my friends started discovering their own niches here on campus. I look at them now, as sophomores, and compare what they are involved in.
Trent was just elected to the Alternative Spring Break Executive Board, after being a site leader this past spring break. He also regularly volunteers downtown teaching English classes to the homeless. Jack joined a fraternity and has devoted time improving their chapter here on campus. He is also Vice President of Vanderbilt’s Youth Encouragement Services, a mentoring group for Nashville elementary schools. Mike is committed to a class here called Willskills, and regularly teaches classes and leads students on high adventure outdoor trips.
The above description is not all that Trent, Jack, and Mike do here on campus, and the brief explanation hardly does justice to their work. The important point (besides that Vanderbilt has some incredible extracurricular and leadership opportunities) is how they have grown into their own person and each pursued unique passions.
Just the other day, the four of us went to a concert at the Ryman Auditorium. It was evident how much each of them have changed, and although they may have grown apart in the process they still make it a point to spend time together.
The college experience is all about growth and change and I find it especially exciting to imagine what the upcoming years will bring.