Involvement is an investment

So here it is, my deep dark secret: I love being involved in school.

It is a cold, hard fact that I have a difficult time saying "no" when people ask me for help. Maybe I have an subconscious faith in karma, that something is telling me I'll be rewarded later in life. Maybe it isn't karma, maybe it is just how I was raised; maybe it's that my mom is involved in everything.

Whatever it is, whatever I believe in, I have had an incredibly fulfilling and motivating college career serving my University. Giuseppe Barone, our talented sports editor, or soon-to-be-former sports editor, jokes that I have more titles than half of the administrators at Seton Hall. While that may be true, I would not change one choice I made over the past four years.

To have a better understanding of what I'm talking about, know this – I am President of the Class of 2009. I am President of the Sport Management Student Association. I am an SGA Senator and I'm the graphic designer for The Setonian. I work for the Athletic Department, I have an internship in Princeton and I've worked for Ripken Baseball for the past three years.

I did not list these titles and activities for people to think I'm bragging, or for people to be impressed. I listed them for current and future students to see what is possible by giving up a Thursday night every once in a while.

My point, when it comes down to the heart of the matter, is that something more can be taken with you from college than just grades and a few memorable (or un-memorable) nights. I am not saying that these are bad things – many of my favorite memories from college involve wiffle ball on the Green, nights out with my friends or laughing with my roommates until I wanted to die.

What I am saying, though, is the satisfaction that comes from leading my peers is as fulfilling as it gets when it comes to life. I have had so many late nights, not because of homework, but because I'm planning the next great event and I have had so many early mornings selling Senior Week tickets or calling hotels or meeting with administrators or working basketball games. I have had hundreds of emails both criticizing and thanking me for the job that I've done as senior class president.

In the end, it is worth it because soon enough your involvement in activities will revolve around Little League, carpools and PTA meetings. You're going to miss the days when you could affect your peers and change people's lives. At least I know I'm going to miss them, so here's the message I end my college career with: get involved.

Sometimes it is stressful and sometimes you will hate it, but it is worth it. I guarantee that in ten years, you will never, ever, regret making a difference.

Elizabeth Rathbun is a senior sport management major from Forest Hill, Md. She is the Graphic Designer and a one-year member of The Setonian. She can be reached at elizabeth.rathbun@student.shu.edu.