This semester, I joined quite a few communities in Longwood, with the Cormier Honors College being first. Then, I joined the Habitat for Humanity Longwood Chapter, who had plans to start more projects next year when we’re official. I also joined HSA and participated a couple times with the Honors kids.

Kappa Pi was the biggest achievement for me in terms of joining communities. It’s the honorary art fraternity on campus, and I was accepted and joined them in several chapter meetings, as well as being initiated. It’s a friendly little community of about 27 people, and I’m very grateful to have been accepted by them.

Alpha Lambda Delta was another organization I joined, in the form of an honors society. The National Society of Leadership and Success was another honors society who offered me membership, so I joined both of these, and volunteered with ALD to paint their 70s banner for Spring Weekend. NSLS hasn’t done much yet, other than graduation from training. 

The Animation Club for Longwood should be coming up next year, and I signed up to be a founding member of that. This is the most exciting to me, because it means not only animating, but learning a thing or two about it as I study animation in my GAND classes. I also signed up to be a regular volunteer at the LCVA, who now accept me as a helper for different exhibitions and tasks.

At the end of it all, I realized that I was so worried about not participating enough in my community, that I ended up joining too many things. It stresses me to think about all the things I’m in right now, and I may cut one or two of them off my list next year in order to refocus my energy on where it’s really needed, or really wanted. I love animation, and I want to focus on it the most. That’s where the animation club and GAND classes come in. I don’t plan on leaving everything — just one or two. Less things on my plate in order to focus on what matters.