As an incoming freshman only knowing a few people at Texas A&M, I had to make new friends. Knowing that Texas A&M prides itself on its student organizations, I put my name on almost every email list when it came to organizational recruitment week.  

 

But what caught my eye were the Freshmen Leadership Organizations, or FLO’s.  FLO’s are student-led organizations at Texas A&M that focus on developing leadership skills as well as a community of friends among its freshmen students. Hearing all of the uplifting stories about FLO’s, I decided to apply to five of the fifteen, but I always strived to get into PREP, the business-focused FLO.  Upon reading my decision letter, I found that I had done it: I had made it into PREP.

 

By the time of one of our first events, Fall Retreat, I had learned that I was selected to be in the Blue Baboon social and the Global Initiative (GI) committee.  The following is a chart to simplify the structure within PREP:

 

             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

               

Us Blue Baboons had sleepovers and other hangouts as a way to bond, however, it was with GI, the service committee, where I spent most of my time.  Every week, we went to the Boys & Girls Club. This was where I discovered a passion that is very important to me: mentoring.  At first, it was a little frustrating dealing with kids who were a little hard to relate to and were extremely impatient. But by keeping a continuity with the kids, they became more welcoming to me, called me by my name, and loved nothing more than to have me chase them in a friendly game of “tag.”  They could be mean at times, like not allowing me to play basketball with them because I was “too tall,” but what kept me coming back was seeing the positive effect I was making.  One girl, Tia, would always ask my help on math homework.  Then, come the following week, she’d show me that same homework with a big fat A graded on it.  She was so smart that I didn't think she ever needed my help, but she did need someone to appreciate her accomplishments.  I was more than happy to be that guy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GI had the ambition to start a first ever volleyball tournament among the different student organizations within the business school.  Named after the building where Mays Business School is primarily located, Wehner’s Winners was going to be a hit… at least that was our vision.  Yet, we faced many unanticipated issues such as freezing low temperatures and a lack of funds that hampered our chances of making the Wehner’s Winners dream a reality.  It was a hard pill to swallow, but midway through the spring semester, we decided to cancel our Wehner’s Winners event.  Even though it was a low point, as a committee, we showed resolve and decided to lay down the foundation and write a ‘how-to’ guide for next year’s GI so that they could make Wehner’s Winners more than just an aspiration.

 

The two GI Execs selected another committee member and me to coordinate PREP’s involvement within Texas A&M’s student-wide community service project, The Big Event.  The Big Event was something I was ecstatic to get involved in as a student and a big reason as to why I preferenced GI. Nevertheless, I had to utilize communication and leadership skills to maximize PREP’s involvement. Even though it was a lot of managing, my partner and I eclipsed our goal of having over 50 of our 70 members participate and hearing all the fun everyone had made it that much more rewarding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beyond all of the committee work and professional development, what made PREP such an unforgettable experience was the unforgettable people.  At first, I was a little overwhelmed meeting all of these new faces.  I didn’t enjoy the first few events, and I was having trouble establishing that solid friend group that some of the other "preppies" were able to build.  Yet, I kept trying.  I knew I wasn’t going to get anywhere if I didn't persevere.  I had to learn two valuable lessons throughout my freshman PREP experience: 1) Sometimes I’ve got to be the initiator- All friendships start when one person reaches out to another, and I can’t be afraid to be the one who says hi first.  2) If I expect someone to be open with me, I’ve got to be open with them first- Showing vulnerability demonstrates trust, and what is a relationship without trust?   

 

At the end of the day, my perseverance paid off, and I really gained a sense of family with PREP.  We experienced a lot throughout the entire year, and it felt good to know that I had a community that was always going to be there for me.