Above and beyond the business school, UT in itself is massive. It is very easy to feel overwhelmed at times and even feel “lost in the crowd.” Regardless of one’s personality, it is difficult to shine at a school that hosts 50,000+ students. (Well, unless you are Colt McCoy or Jordan Shipley.) But remembering the words of my father, the greatest step to succeeding in college is “getting plugged in.” We all have our objectives on a social, academic, and possibly even spiritual level. These goals are all great but can be shadowed when you have no one to share and enjoy them with. Getting plugged in is a relatively simple concept that takes a little bit of work to achieve.

1. Identify what it is that you want to do or want to learn about.
2. Find others who have a similar interest.
3. Trial and error.

Now, at first glance this may just seem like the technique for making friends, but when it comes to growing up and experiencing college, these steps are much more than making friends. Whether it is four, five, or even six years that you spend at UT, the people you are around will help shape who you become.

According to the Office of Dean of Students, there are 1,183 registered organizations on campus. 1,183! I will personally wager my remaining stash of Bevo-Bucks that I use for printing in the Millennium Lab if someone cannot find a group of people that they do not share something in common with and wish to learn from. Go to their Web sites, find out when their information sessions are, and see if they are something you wish to incorporate into your life. After this, it is trial and error.

My freshman year I was a member of University Finance Association. While we did share similar interests, they didn’t deliver everything I was seeking in an organization so I continued to search for another group to get “plugged in” with. I also tried the University Accounting Association but that also wasn’t everything I was looking for, so I kept searching. It didn’t take long, but by sheer luck I came across an officer of Beta Alpha Psi who educated me on what the group was all about. I know what you are thinking, another rush Greek pitch. NO, NO, not at all. Not that there is anything against the Greek life but BAPsi is a co-ed professional society that participates in service, professional, and social events and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I am now in my fourth year here at UT and I am happy to say that I have found my place where I fit in. BAPsi is filled with people whom I not only have class with everyday but with the same people I share memories with when we volunteer or meet for random social interaction, both for school and non-school purposes. I am not saying come join BAPsi (although it would be awesome and we would be more than HAPPY 🙂 to have you if you are an accounting or finance major) but I am saying that each of us needs to find that one place where we feel comfortable and we can grow as individuals. The place where you can meet new people who have something to offer you as well as learn from what you can offer them. Meeting these new people is how we grow and succeed in college regardless of our other objectives. Getting “plugged in” is what will help us all mature in life.