In high school, friends are often childhood pals who you’ve known for forever, people that have stood by you even through the awkward years of braces, and for some of us, maybe even a Hamilton phase. Thoughts of these people are comforting, as they have helped shape the person you are as you enter college. Coming to the University of Wisconsin as an out-of-state first year student, leaving this world of familiarity to enter a campus of 40,000 students is daunting and, at times, feels seemingly impossible. Maybe for the first time in your life, you have to “put yourself out there” and find your own community; which, in my experience, is an ongoing process that takes some effort and patience.
For me, I had to try on a few (metaphorical) hats. Some hats matched my interests that I had always been aware of, like dancing and writing, but there was one that I saw as completely outside of my comfort zone, WASB, which is the hat that brings me here today writing you this WASBlog. WASBs’ mission is to connect Badgers past, present, and future, and we achieve this through planning events that help bring students together. Though I had never planned an event before, I chose to apply to WASB because as a first year I wasn’t quite sure where I belonged on this campus, and I am not sure why, but I felt for some reason that it could give me some clarity. However, as someone who is not always the loudest in the room, I didn’t know how I was going to navigate meeting 65 new people at once. To further the hat metaphor, upon arriving to retreat at the beginning of my first semester sophomore year, I felt like WASB was a green fedora that felt a tad out of my comfort zone, but held the potential to be flattering. I quickly discovered that it didn’t matter that I was naturally quiet, because WASB suited me just as much as it did anyone else. Feeling new is nerve-racking, but I had never met a group of people that from the outset appeared so genuinely happy to include me and the rest of my member class into their community.
There are no prerequisites to apply. All we ask is that you bring an open mind, and an enthusiasm for making people feel connected to campus. WASBs range from computer scientists to business Badgers, and we’ve got a diverse set of interests and hobbies that can be anywhere from radio show hosts to polar plunge enthusiasts, to me, a barista that is passionate about curly hair routines, cooking, and Stevie Wonder. All I can say is, there’s a place for you on campus, and if you’re interested, there is a place for you in WASB. So don’t wait to apply! Check out our application for Spring 2023 here, which closed December 1st. Freshmen may remember us from the W Project which occurs every September, but if you would like to meet us in person, you should stay up to date with our upcoming events!
By Ali Wagman
Blog Chair, Marketing Team