You get out what you put in.

I’m sure you’ve heard some form of this quote throughout your time living on this planet.

As cheesy and simple of a statement this is, I have found through 19 years of being on this Earth in various professional, education, and social settings that this rings true throughout.

If you skate by on the bare minimum, you will get just that. Whether it’s school, a job, sports or extracurricular activities. The choice is yours.

But this article will focus on one aspect of getting involved in your community around you. North Dakota State is a hub filled with endless possibilities of involvement including student government, clubs and Greek life.

Whether you like politics, skiing, agriculture, writing, medicine, activism, government or photography, NDSU has an organization for you. But you have to want to take that initiative.

You can live your life according to whatever everyone thinks you should be doing, or what’s deemed as “cool,” or you could listen to your heart and follow something that you are truly passionate about. I recommend the latter because you are guaranteed to perform your absolute best and more if it’s something you feel strongly towards.

One of my favorite things about NDSU is its community.

Young 17-year-old freshman in college Marisa was absolutely petrified when she first arrived in Fargo. Living with my parents in California for my whole life and being that kid that called her mom to pick her up from sleepovers early because she missed being home had no idea how to handle moving alone by herself 1,000 miles from familiarity.

Pro tip: if it scares you, that means you’re stepping outside of your comfort zone. That’s okay. You will either fail and learn something or soar with flying colors into uncharted territory and blaze your own trail. That’s okay too. What’s important is the you keep moving forward (a quote from “Meet the Robinsons,” a severely underrated movie by the way but that’s a different opinion).

I firmly believe that the exhilaration after the leap far outweighs the fear felt right before it.

Even though I was a timid young freshman, I never once felt alone. The community at NDSU welcomed me with open arms. I made friends right away. Upperclassmen gave me tips on professors and studying and in turn I guest-passed them into the dining center.

I was shocked at how easy it was to make friends. Events held on campus allowed me get to know my peers of every major and previous college background. I’ve met some of the most interesting people I know with a simple “Hello, what’s your name?” at random events around campus.

Even though my California family was far away, I quickly learned that my Bison family was right there with me through it all and I miss them as equally when I return to California for breaks.

That is why this year I decided to get involved in Student Government. I wanted to be directly involved in making this campus and community better so that people like me get the same experience as I felt when I arrived here.

I was recently appointed Student Senator for University Apartments. I represent those students in the university apartments such as myself in Niskanen Expansion No. 2 and their needs.

Today I learned that 69% of students don’t know their senator or even that they have a senator. I encourage you to please reach out to me or any of the other senators for each of the colleges and residencies on and off campus if you wish to make suggestions on how to make this community work efficiently.

But enough about me, here is what you can bring to the table.

Whatever interests you, pursue it. It doesn’t have to be related to your major. In fact, I encourage you to explore things unrelated to your major. You have your whole life to dedicate to your career, but what little hobbies or interests do you wish to pursue in your free time?

You don’t have to choose between being an archeologist or a photographer. You can be a archeologist who has a photography blog. You can be a pharmacist who volunteers to knock on doors for political campaigns on the weekends. You can be a mortician who sells your own self-made clothes on Etsy. You don’t have to be defined by your major or your career.

I hope you come away from this article knowing how to nourish your soul as well as your community. The world needs more intelligent, curious and passionate people instead of just going through the motions of your requirements.

You are a multifaceted individual and your big dreams are worth pursuing.

But it’s time to stop dreaming and start doing.