Entering college is a difficult transition for everyone. A number of big fish from the small ponds of the world are transplanted to this moderately-sized estuary in the middle of Central Virginia, and, as any biology professor will tell you, there are simply not enough resources to go around.
And so they must be rationed. During the first few weeks of the semester, as students explore the variety of extracurricular activities available, a clear trend of what is preferred develops. Hands down, the most popular groups on Grounds are those that require a demonstration of why you deserve to be a member. If you don't have to try out or apply for it, it isn't exclusive, and if it isn't exclusive, it isn't U.Va.
Let's back up to the beginning. The single most important event of the first week of first year is the activities fair, during which hundreds of CIOs court us in hopes of adding our precious computing IDs to their rolls. Still set to "go" mode since the end of high school, our natural next step is to carve out our niche. But before we launch into the motions of being the busiest person on Grounds, we find it important to step back and ask, "What do I want?"
For many people, it's to be wanted. What could be wrong with that?
To this I respond with a resounding "nothing." Though some might scorn organizations that practice initiation rites or have heavy time demands, it's a basic psychological principle that adolescents seek to become a part of something bigger than themselves. They love attendance, customized listservs and T-shirts with inside jokes on the back. Their groups serve as a source of both personal and social identification. It says, "I belong ... somewhere."
After a few semesters of settling in, a pattern begins to develop. I'm referring, of course, to extracurricular identification. Since the midpoint of my first year, I have felt as if everyone I have been introduced to is accompanied by a brief description of their extracurricular success at the University until this point. Forget what they're majoring in; it's all about the next meeting that they are attending. Armed with this knowledge, I have developed the ability to judge where students fall in our social hierarchy.
It's no secret that there is a pecking order to the organizations at this school. At the top sit two competing philosophies, overlapping for some but mutually exclusive to many: Greek life and what I like to call "TJ worship."
Both are rooted in the practice of exclusivity, through which it is possible to tell some people that they are the right fit and others that they are not. But this is not just a one-sided affair. By demonstrating interest in particular organizations, whether by trying them out or ranking them first on our preference sheets, we subscribe to their feeling of superiority, legitimizing and prolonging it.
Fraternities and sororities are already a topic of much debate among the more beautiful and bro-ish sectors of the population. If you would like to catch up on the ongoing drama of U.Va.'s Greek system, one short trip to College ACB should do the trick.
As for "TJ worship," its intricacies are more nuanced.
What makes the University's culture of competition different from other institutions? Yes, I feel like academic contests are a regular fixture of elite centers of higher education, but nowhere else have I heard of extracurricular battles on par with ours. Sure, academic struggles abound, especially in those science classes in which only "X" number of people can receive an A. In a class where everyone is used to getting As, this causes quite a dilemma. But I have yet to see a substantial intelligentsia develop. Indeed, students are so invested in their extracurricular achievements and group identities that sometimes it feels as if academics can get lost in the wash. What gives, Hoos?
Students here compete for positions that other schools pay their students to fill; University Guide Service is just one program that comes to mind. To the untrained eye, these preferences might appear odd, even nerdy. Interest in these organizations, however, is no doubt linked to a deep passion for the University, and this speaks volumes about our school's success with creating a positive undergraduate experience.
So, just be sure to remember that although extracurriculars are important, you don't have to swear by the hierarchy. And don't seek activities solely because they are the "traditional" University organizations. Check out CIOs not every person on Grounds knows. You may just find something you could enjoy more.
Emily's column runs biweekly Thursdays. She can be reached at e.kuhbach@cavalierdaily.com.
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