Being involved pays off

By Michael Maxwell

I wish someone had told me sooner what I was missing here at Santa Clara. If only someone had said, "just do it -- you'll thank me later." For me, that didn't happen until about two weeks ago, which turned out to be about three years too late.

I wish, back when I was a freshman, I had paid more attention to the fliers all over campus. I'll admit, it's hard -- there are so many fonts, colors, words, letters, exclamation points and funny graphics that you have to get through in order to get the details of the event.

I wish that I had witnessed the spectacular productions in Mayer Theatre before my senior year. "Choreographer's Gallery" and "Images" were two of the greatest events I have attended at Santa Clara. I thought dance was only for dancers, but the truth is, it's a beautiful form of art -- you'll absolutely love some of it and be confused as George W. Bush at a spelling bee during others.

I wish that "The Larame Project" had been my fifth theater production to attend, and not my first. That production moved me more than any trip to The Hut. While you may have to give up a blood alcohol level of 0.17 to get yourself to a performance, I promise you'll get something out of it.

I wish that I had taken the time to expand the level of my culture because it comes in handy more than you'd think. Friendships are made by what you have in common, and many people enjoy discussing art. Job interviewers may try to break the ice by asking about your weekend; would you rather discuss blackouts or Bach with your future employer? And most women appreciate a dinner date and show tickets rather than a Bennigan's and Blockbuster rental.

I wish that I had realized there are more than enough ways to make yourself heard at Santa Clara. Writing for the newspaper, joining The Men's Program, and being a Community Facilitator have helped sculpt myself into the person I want to be when I leave college. I've realized that I'm not happy living the same experiences over and over here at Santa Clara. Getting drunk every party night won't help you grow any more than eating spinach and talking like Popeye will. But that's where these things I've talked about come into play.

I wish I had realized that doing something different can always be followed by a trip to The Hut or a visit to an "ugly sweater" party. Missing an hour of those things to spend three or four in the Mayer Theatre pays off. I only wish that someone could have convinced me to do these things sooner, and told me what I was missing.

Just do it, you'll thank me later.

* Michael Maxwell's column appears once a month. He can be reached at mmaxwell@scu.edu.