PettinatoReading2

Reading Response 2

After reading this chapter, I was able to ask myself two questions: How can we get college students more involved? and What does community mean to you? I was able to relate to Nathan's experiences from my freshmen year. I remember coming to Bloomsburg as an Education major knowing I wanted to get involved. At first, I was a bit nervous because I didn't know anyone but I wanted to help make a difference. By the end of my sophomore year, I can say that I'm actively involved in six clubs. I feel pretty proud of myself that I can manage my time with school and outside activities. When I walk through campus, I always see flyers and posters for every club possible to come and join. I sometimes ask myself when I meet people that don't get involved....why? Why wouldn't you want to help out and make your voice heard? Nathan felt like it was "pulling teeth" to get a student's to participate in events. For example, when Nathan had her hall meeting and her RA asked the hall to write down events that would interest them to do for a day out of the week. Some students didn't want anything to do with it and some didn't come at all. One topic that interested some students was a movie night..where kids would come and watch a movie in the RA's room while eating snacks. After a while no one was showing up but Nathan. I was shocked by this because I love watching movies with my friends. I actually did have a movie night when I lived in Columbia. My "CA" was the warmest person and willing to have fun. Many of my hall came to the movie events and had a great time. I couldn't understand why students wouldn't come on a Sunday and just relax. I know from experience I don't do much on Sundays. I can say this for much of Bloomsburg students. When Nathan brought up the question: What does a community mean to a person? I had to take a second and think to myself and see how I would answer it. I think a community is a place where people have different values and experiences that come to a certain area to share these similarities and differences. When Nathan's RA asked the hall to write down what they thought a community was there were all different answers. Some people didn't take it seriously while others wrote some great definitions. Last year when I was a freshmen, I lived in a Living and Learning Community on campus. So I can say from experience what I thought it was like to live in a community with people that share the same major and interests as I did. I had different emotions about it. I enjoyed meeting people with the same things in common but then again I felt too sheltered. I wanted to get out and meet other people. This is why I started joining clubs and seeing what else is out there. Nathan brought up some great issues that go on everyday in college. She has such an eye when she's observing that I sometimes miss when I'm on campus. Students need to realize why they came to college.......and that is to experience a new life. They get to start over and reinvent themselves. By getting involved and living in certain areas as a community helps a person grow and find them self. Students need to have a game plan if they want to be noticed in college for the real world and their career. I'm trying my best to get my name out and show people that I'm a well rounded person. I can say that I can live in a completely different environment and call it my "community". Can others say the same?