Getting involved on campus is something that a lot of people take for granted here at A&T. Instead of being involved in clubs and activities because they want to help the campus or make a contribution, some people tend to join organizations so that it can lead to something else.

From social organizations or student government, people who are in several groups at a time are usually planning on becoming a member of another group. This would be cool as long as they were doing it for the right reasons. 

You should do something on campus because you have a passion for it and can positively contribute to it, and stop being a member of these organizations just to wear the t-shirt or be a part of the group.

You should serve the organization and let your actions speak louder than your words, and not just be involved because you want to increase your popularity or social status.

For example, every year around spring semester, the same thing happens: people who are a part of all of these miscellaneous clubs and activities on campus end up pledging into fraternities and sororities. Some people even run for SGA positions so they can put it on their resume and make themselves look better as a prospect for these organizations.

If you want to run for an SGA position, you need to do it because you want to make the campus better and fulfill your duties and responsibilities for that position. In the past, it seems that some students who previously held SGA positions or ran for them did it primarily to strengthen their case for Greek organizations.

As long as you can prove that you can do the job, I don’t really care if you are in a fraternity, sorority, Couture or Verge.

You should not abandon prior commitments as soon as you get to where you want to be. Roles like being a Campus Life Mentor or student leader should be a role you get joy out of and not just because it looks good on your resume.

A friend said that after a while, she stopped seeing her Campus Life Mentor as often as she used to, and it turned out that the person pledged. While it was OK for the person to join their organization, they should not have neglected their prior obligations.

If you want to get into a particular organization, then I advise you to do whatever you need to do to accomplish it. However, there should be balance among all of your commitments. It is good if you want to be involved on campus, but please understand the organizations that you joined deserve the same amount of dedication that you would give the ones that you aspire to join.

When you become a member of a particular group, the obligations of previous organizations that you are a part of should not be affected.

You should not drop off your responsibilities and should not want to if you joined for the right reasons.  Commitments should be taken seriously.

If you hold a position in one club and want to join another, do your job and make a contribution to both organizations and not just be a member in name only.

Don’t be a part of it if you are going to do it halfway just to pad your resume in the end.  

• laporsha lowry