As I stepped out of my car at 7:30am (yep I’m a commuter student), I felt the morning drowsiness slowly fade, replaced with déjà vu. It hit me when I bumped into a shuffling high school senior on my way to the Pre-Physical Therapy Club and Kinesiology Ambassadors tables at Admitted Spartan Day. “Hey,” I thought. I passed several more timid, wide-eyed students. “I was YOU. And YOU. Oh, and YOU too. Just one year ago.”
What a difference a year makes. One year ago, I was a Washington High School student (Fremont, CA), terrified at the thought of riding public transportation to SJSU. Almost one year ago, on April 16th 2011, I timidly walked toward the same Pre-Physical Therapy Club table, smiling nervously and stammering out questions in a clumsy manner. Yet this weekend, on April 14th 2012, I deliberately strode with a purpose toward the club tables. Wearing a Pre-Physical Therapy Club t-shirt and an invisible, yet proud, badge of “college student status” courage, I was ready to help make incoming students feel welcome and ready to help them move on to the next big stages in their lives.
There were moments of light-hearted laughter when it seemed as if a parent was planning to attend SJSU in the fall rather than their child. There was also excitement when talking with a student who had clearly given thought to future careers. It wasn’t until Admitted Spartan Day was in full swing that I realized how lucky I was. I never thought I would be laughing with the club officers, role models, students who I hope to be as successful as in the next few years. Imagine my surprise when I realized that I knew a lot more about kinesiology curriculum than I had thought! Education works.
I am grateful for the opportunities SJSU offers to students to get involved in the Spartan community. Most importantly, I am grateful for the friendly spirit that makes up Kinesiology, composed of individuals eager to teach, learn, grow, and make our world of physical activity a better place.
By Erin Enguero, Kinesiology Major, KIN Ambassador