As a senior in my final semester, I figured I should take advantage of my last football season as a student. A friend convinced me to join the MUSS, sealing the deal with the mention of a free T-shirt.
It was upon picking up my tickets that I was handed the UBook, which includes 50 traditions at the U, many of which I had never heard of. I am convinced I would have enjoyed more of my college experience had I known about all the ways to get involved with the U. Uninvolved students should use this book to include themselves in the U community and make the college years more enjoyable, beneficial and memorable.
The UBook is the first of its kind, compiling information for freshmen and graduating seniors alike. It has a campus map, athletics schedule and eating guide, but the bulk of the book is dedicated to U traditions, many of which are less tradition and more just activities. They would still make a better Ute and a more well-rounded individual out of a participant. They range from internships with the Hinckley Institute of Politics to the food drive, and each tradition has a spot for photos that prove participation.
Rewards are given for various numbers of traditions completed, and more traditions completed means more things to put on a résumé. So maybe becoming “pure crimson” by kissing someone on homecoming night won’t place anyone ahead of the pack, but leadership in a club is impressive. Clubs are a great way to network, develop friendships with professors that can be used as references and meet friends.
“When students merely come to class, they get a rewarding education, but they miss out on what it means to be a Ute, not just a student,” said Tim Vogeler, a member of the Student Alumni Board. He’s right. The university is a place to learn, but that learning extends beyond academics. Becoming involved with the campus community provides an opportunity for students to learn necessary social and leadership skills before they head out into the world.
It’s easy to slide by and graduate without anyone taking notice. I made it halfway before making any sort of noise, and the only thing I could say about school was that, well, it’s school. If students become involved with the traditions and activities at the U, even just one club, they will find the university experience completely changed. Professors will learn their names, and they will stand out among the applicants for a job, post-graduation.
So check out the UBook and get crackin’ on completing those traditions. At the very least, you’ll have fun becoming “pure crimson.”
Anne Roper