Disclaimer: This blog may be disturbing to some readers in that it addresses in the first paragraph material of both a personal and somewhat depressing nature. Be warned. (You know who you are.)

 It’s official: I’m trying to do too many things. There are several ways I know this. 1) I find myself, at times, going slowly insane with the pressure of it all (And extracurriculars should not be pressure. They should be fun.) 2) When you can no longer remember your schedule, it’s probably a sign you’re doing too much. I find myself forgetting important things that I’m supposed to go too. 3) It’s the first semester of freshman year.

Clearly, I was not that prepared to start college. Because like my freshman year of high school, I find myself trying to do everything. My seldom reminders of not to do too much have been too seldom. Too easily ignored. And it’s just now I realize that if I continue down this path, I will end up permanently in therapy.

There are several things I want to address in this blog. Firstly I’d like to start the blog with a list of warnings for future generations of college students. These are all signs that you are trying to do too much. Recognize them. And if you find yourself doing them, maybe it’s time to sit down for an afternoon and re-examine your life.

The first semester of freshman year is a lot like the first season of a young, bright-eyed ingénue living in 19^th Century Victorian England. The 18-year-old beauty is presented to the Queen, and then released out into the world to dance with men and try to attract a marriage proposal. Being young and bright eyed, she actually attracts many marriage proposals. In this scenario, the freshman is the young ingénue, and the massive conglomeration of student organizations on campus is the population of eligible young men. Like a young ingénue, the inexperienced freshman must be cautious and discerning in such a world. There are several rules that must be followed at all times.

1.  Don’t accept the first proposal you get: Every club on campus is vying for your attention and membership.  Don’t be attracted to the first offer you receive. Think it over, and decide if you really want to join this particular club, or if you’re just accepting their proposal out of desperation to be part of a club.
2.  Don’t accept a proposal out of pity: Some clubs are less eligible than others, in that they have a very small population of members. These clubs are the more persistent ones. But be warned: don’t join them just because you feel sorry for them.
3. Follow your heart: After the first student activities fair you attend, you may find yourself driven in so many different directions you think it’s impossible to decide. Some words of advice: consider seriously the clubs you are genuinely interested in. There’s no use in putting off a decision just because you don’t want to admit that you love one club, and that you don’t love another club. Suck it up and reject some of your suitors.....I mean, clubs. Suck it up and reject some clubs. The best way to reject a club? Politely. Don’t draw it out and don’t lead anyone on, and they’ll get over it.
4. Don’t accept too many proposals: Like a marriage, membership of a club requires commitment, devotion, and love. If you find yourself too busy to commit, too unenthusiastic to be devoted to the club, or too stressed to love the club the way it deserves to be loved…I have two words for you. Drop something,

Secondly, I’d like to address my own personal experience with club-joining. To this end, I have decided that the clubs courting my attention must each duel each other in a battle to the death.

No, don’t keep reading, take a moment to picture it.

It would be awesome.

If I could photoshop….

Okay, what I’m actually going to do is create a bracket, NCAA style. Oh, whatever, so I’m organized in the extreme, deal with it. It helps me think. The goal of this exercise is to narrow my activities down to ONE OR TWO CLUBS. So I’m only insane some of the time, as opposed to all of the time. Here goes.