One thing to know about me is that I'm shy. Not the cute shy that's shown in the cliché high school rom-coms, no no think of the shy girl in The Breakfast Club. Yeah....Yikes! So you can image how I felt about coming to a big university such as Oklahoma State University. With a population of 25,000 students it would have been easy for me to just blend into the crowd, but through my achievements in high school and constant urge to always put myself in new awkward situations, I decided to give campus leadership a try.

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First, I looked up campus organizations that I though would be a good fit for me, after applying for a couple of positions I ended up being accepted into the President's Leadership Council and the Inclusion Leadership Program. I also became a community mentor for residents on campus, a writer for the O'Colly media group, and a member of the N.A.A.C.P. Gee, for someone who is shy I really put myself out there, but through my campus leadership I have learned many lessons.

 

One being, you can't fix everything. I'm a person who wants everyone else to be happy and cared for, so when I see people or my residents in stress I drop everything that I'm doing in order to be there for them. I had to learn that I personally can't fix everything, some things are out of my control and that's okay. Sometimes being the best leader is being a shoulder to cry on a person people can vent to. I can't fix every problem, but as a leader I will do my best to be there for others and support them in any way possible.

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I also had to learn how to take time out for myself. One thing that I learned about college is that students are NEEDY (especially the freshmen), but I get it because I was a needy freshman too and now..... I have leveled up to a needy sophomore. Being a mentor to over 50 students on campus can be a lot, especially when they face time you about their personal drama during your Netflix time *sigh*. I use to always drop what I was doing whether it be studying or eating to focus on their problems to a point where I wasn't properly taking care of myself. It was hard for me to realize at first, because I love helping others, but soon I realized that I needed a healthier balance of mentoring and me time. After I found my balance I have seen myself relax more and become a better student, mentor, and friend!

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Leadership can be stressful at times, but it can also be very rewarding. Through leadership I learned that it's okay to be a little more soft spoken and a little shy. Every leading style is different and how we personally lead is what makes us special. I've learned how to manage my stress better, get out of my comfort zone, how to seek first to understand to be understood, and how to believe in myself. Coming into college I had a lot of self doubt about if I would be able to stand out and be a leader at a major university, but through my leadership roles I have learned to have faith in myself and leap with courage.  Anyone is capable of being a leader and although I didn't know that seven years ago, I sure know that now. 

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So the big question now is, are you a leader?