It’s easy to get involved on Baker’s campus. Almost too easy. From Greek life, athletics, band, theater and all the clubs in between, it’s not hard to find yourself being committed to a lot of organizations. Throw academics into the pictures and it’s nearly impossible to find enough hours in the day to accomplish everything.

I remember seeing this diagram in high school and thinking “college can’t be THAT bad”. So, I made it a goal to be involved in multiple organizations because I thought I’d have nothing better to do in Baldwin City. Now, three years later, I realized how wrong I was.

Being involved in multiple organizations can definitely be a challenge to juggle, and I think the triangle diagram explains college perfectly now. Some weeks I choose “good grades” and “enough sleep,” while other weeks I choose two other options. All three points are important, and it’s hard to pick which ones you need to focus on. Put yourself at a small university like Baker, and I think the diagram becomes even more impossible to balance.

The great thing about Baker is how involved you can be. The worst thing about Baker is how involved you can be. Find the balance between the two and you’re golden. It’s great to be involved, and Baker does a wonderful job of offering opportunities for involvement, because activities look good on resumes, they build character and friendships, and they keep you busy. On the flip side, be involved in too much and you can see a drop in your grades, social life, or hours of sleep.

I think it’s important to be involved and have the whole college experience while we’re here. I also think it’s important to know when to say “no,” and strop stretching yourself thin. It’s all about finding the right limit on involvement. If you can do that, then you’re set, and you should probably share your secrets with every college student in America.