Here’s what Community means to me…
I view a community as a population who have common qualities, but also have differences which allows for diversity. This diversity then allows for the education and acknowledgement of individual differences, while also allowing each individual to gain a new knowledge and appreciation of their own identity.
Longwood in itself is a whole community, but also has a variety of other subsets within that community, in which you are able to be a part of in whatever degree you see best. This variability is really what drew me towards this University and community. During my first year, I was a part in not only the Farmville and Longwood community, but I also became involved in several aspects of it. In some cases, I was only temporarily involved, as I found that these communities were not what I was truly passionate about, but I still view them as learning opportunities. For example, I attended meetings for STEP@LU; I appreciate their cause and support their efforts within the Longwood community, but did not view this as something I felt I could truly participate in. I view this as a part of the Longwood community that I interact with while on campus, but cannot be a part of; I feel as if these portions of the community are just as crucial as parts of the community that one is directly involved in, as they still need support and recognition from the community as a whole.
There were several parts of the community that I wanted to be a part of, but unfortunately was not given the opportunity to be a part of. I now see these communities in the same light as those that I chose not to be a part of: a learning opportunity. During my first year, I was denied several opportunities, but that is okay. I am a firm believer in what needs to happen will happen, so I put myself outside of my comfort zone and found other communities on campus to be a part of. During my first year, I became a part in the Honors community, the club sports community, and even a part of a national honor society. I also immersed myself in the health community as a Kinesiology major and avid gym-goer. Not only did I involve myself in these parts of the Longwood community, but I also inspired others to branch out into parts of the same communities I was a part of.
The Honors Community
The Honors community was the first community I truly involved myself in, and this was a major step out of my comfort zone. When I first arrived on campus and moved in for the Honors Retreat, I was scared that being a part of this community would set me apart in a negative way, as that was what I had experienced in the past. To my pleasant surprise, this was not the case whatsoever. This community then offered me gateways into other communities, but the community itself is like no other I had ever experienced. Everyone was super welcoming and there was always someone who would be able to answer all of my questions or address my concerns. For the first time, I had also felt like I could truly be myself and let myself continue to explore my interests, while also finding friends within the same community that shared these interests, as well as others who were completely different from myself. All types of backgrounds and viewpoints are evident in the Honors community, and that is what makes it truly one of a kind.