Nontraditional Traditions
Are you one of the college students or perspective college students that feel as if they don’t know what they are getting into? Do you want to be involved but aren’t a social butterfly? I feel you. I was there just a few short months ago.
I went to a small Christian school for thirteen years. How small you ask? There were seven seniors in my graduating class. Yes, you read that right. SEVEN! Least to say, the thought of going from a school that had around 150 students from kindergarten to twelfth grade to a college that had roughly 20 thousand students was slightly terrifying. Talk about culture shock! I had a lets do this, lets get the degree and do all the things attitude, at first. Then I got here and things changed.
I wanted to be involved, but I’m not very social. The few people that I did know, I didn’t have classes with. Making friends isn’t easy. How will I fit in with others if I don’t talk to them? What to do?
Here, I will give insight into my first semester of college at Middle Tennessee State University. What organizations and traditions can an introvert be a part of and not feel overwhelmed? Well, let’s get to it:
Scholars Academy is not exactly an academic tradition, but the administrators of the organization are pushing for it to become one in the upcoming years. Scholars Academy is a two-week program that begins for college freshman two weeks before their fall semester. For students who live on campus, this also means that you will be able to move in before the rest of the freshman class. After being accepted, you will enroll in a Scholars section of the University 1010 class that will meet once a week during the fall semester. The professors and administrators aim to prepare students for college while providing them with a support system to help with the challenges that are bound to arise.
That’s the technical aspect, but now to my personal experience. Scholar’s Academy was a good experience overall. It gradually incorporated me into the college atmosphere. I was able to go into my first week of classes without being overwhelmed, which was a huge blessing. I spent most of my time with the same people that were also in my University 1010 class, so I knew that I would see them throughout my first semester. Out of all my classes of the week, I socialize the most with the people in that class. We have a common connection. We are all Scholars, and we went through all of the ups and downs that came along with that together. And there were plenty of ups and downs. All in all, scholars academy warms you up to the college environment while allowing you to meet some new people in the process. Just know that these are an intense two-weeks, people get tired, and you don’t always agree with the people in charge. Weigh the pros and cons for yourself to see if this is something that you could benefit from.
The blue horseshoe lies in Walnut Grove right outside of Peck Hall. MTSU student ambassadors decided to establish this landmark in order for students, faculty, and the general public to have a common place to receive “good luck.” A penny from 1911, the year that the university was founded, is buried beneath. The legend says that whoever touches the horseshoe will be bestowed good luck. So, if you feel so inclined when you get here, run up and touch it when you have a final or are just hopeful that the Starbucks line isn’t backed up to the door. (It really is a struggle, people!)
**Fun fact: the horseshoe isn’t painted blue, the actual cement is blue. This was shown when our rivals, Western Kentucky University, painted the horseshoe red and MTSU just washed the paint off. They tried!
More than likely most, if not all, prospective students will attend customs before their first semester. These two-day events will happen at multiple times throughout the summer and allow you to be on campus, eat at the different restaurants, and register for classes. I still remember people from my customs group and have classes with some, so socialize! Your student orientation assistant (SOA) will guide you around to make sure you won’t get lost. Get to know them, follow them on instagram, friend them on facebook, they can be a major help if you let them.
**Note: You will think that there is no way you will ever learn this HUGE campus, but you will, trust me!
BECOME AN SOA
Hannah Mitchell, a sophomore marketing major at MTSU, decided during the fall of her freshman year to become an SOA. She credits this decision to her own SOA and her experience at customs during the summer, as well as, one of her friends who encouraged her to take the plunge. In an interview, she shared with me her experience this summer getting to know the many students and their families. The experience itself allowed her to be able to see how many people really work during the summer to prepare this campus for the fall, as well as, getting to know students and parents points of view about the whole college experience.
**NOTE: Being an SOA was never really something that I was interested in personally. I thought that it didn’t fit my personality. But if you like people and enjoy helping others through the college process, maybe being an SOA is for you!
The great thing about MTSU is that you don’t have to be an SOA. You don’t have to be a Scholar or believe in the luck of the blue horseshoe to have your own place while here. It may take time, but you can find your area and the place you thrive, just be open to new things!
