Since beginning my journey at OCCC, I have found that the most beneficial thing I’ve done for my personal growth is getting involved in as many campus groups and activities as possible, but doing so required me to go far outside of my comfort zone.
By the time I first stepped onto OCCC’s campus, I could count the number of friends I’d ever had – none of whom I still talked to – on one hand. I think that was due to a combination of being naturally reserved to the point of avoiding interaction and the fact that I was homeschooled until the fifth grade, never truly having the chance to develop social skills in my early years.
Even after entering school, I only attended for five years before dropping out to pursue my GED due to mental health struggles. I don’t think I ever truly developed a strong grasp on interacting with other people.
Committing myself to changing that at 27 years old, during one of the lowest points in my life mentally, was a challenge. It helped that I viewed it as a “do or die” situation. I felt that if I didn’t take this opportunity to improve myself and my circumstances, I might never get another chance.
During my first semester, I started by joining Students Connecting with Mentors for Success, occasionally participating in volunteer activities. I saw SCMS on the OCCC website and applied before classes even started because I knew I would need all the help I could get. They’ve been one of my biggest sources of personal growth and encouragement. Still, between SCMS and taking three eight-week courses as a first-time college student, I already felt like I had my hands full.
In my second semester the following spring, the dark period of my life began to subside, and I felt like I was getting into the swing of things with classes, so I pushed myself further.
Since I was a psychology major at the time, joining the OCCC Psychology Club felt like a natural fit. Because the club was small, I took on the role of Student Government Association representative within the first few weeks.
By then, I was starting to feel more confident in my ability to balance classes and extracurricular activities, and I attribute much of that progress to someone in the psychology department who saw enough potential in me to help me cover the cost of joining Psi Beta, the honor society associated with the psychology club. That gesture showed me that someone believed in my ability to succeed and was willing to help me when I had not even asked for that help.
Even after switching majors, I stayed involved with the psychology club and eventually became vice president, a role that I proudly held until recent health issues forced me to step back.
After that, I joined the OCCC Writer’s Guild out of a desire to strengthen my creative writing skills. While writing essays comes naturally to me, storytelling requires me to create my own direction, which feels much more challenging. After the club’s founder graduated, I stepped into the role of vice president there as well.
Beyond club involvement, I now have the pleasure of saying that I work for The Pioneer! It all started when The Pioneer partnered with the campus literary journal to call for student submissions, and I responded with a poem and a short essay about how the separation of church and state was being ignored in Oklahoma public schools. My submission caught the attention of Melissa Davis, the staff advisor-editor for The Pioneer and now my boss at the campus newspaper.
I had never imagined myself as a journalist, and when Davis asked if I wanted a job, I told her as much. Still, I took a chance – and it was one of the best decisions that I have ever made.
I have since decided to add a second major in mass communications to the English degree that I was already pursuing. That is how much I have enjoyed being a journalist. It has helped me improve my social skills and better connect with the OCCC community by interviewing people and covering campus-based events.
I don’t think I would have made as much progress as I have without the people here supporting me, but I’m proud of myself for making that initial commitment to change. I’ve always viewed myself as a quitter, but when I find myself in situations where failure feels like it’s not an option, I seem to find a way to push through. OCCC has given me the opportunity to improve, but it is the community here that has really made all the difference.
I understand that not everyone has the time or transportation to be as involved as I have, and in that regard, I know I have truly been blessed. But if there’s one thing I hope you take away from reading about my experience, it’s this: Being involved doesn’t have to be a resource drain. It can be as simple as giving heartfelt responses on your discussion forums, if you have them, or regularly communicating with your professors. Those seemingly small actions show that you care, and I know from experience that people will remember that.
Whether you’re an online student or someone who comes to campus, I’ve found that opportunities abound at OCCC, be it academically, professionally or socially. The point of being here is to better ourselves in some way – so why not make the most of the time that we have?
