Cast a wide net to find the activities and clubs you love

column CAST A WIDE NET TO FIND THE ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS YOU LOVE

Jack Troy

Opinions Editor

WhenI arrived on campus last fall, I didn’t have a nine month plan that culminated in becoming an editor at e Pitt News. In fact, I didn’t arrive with any sort of plan outside of my class schedule.

I could certainly rattle o some interests. A er realizing I was failing to leave much of a legacy behind, I founded an environmental club at my high school. Between my absolute lack of leadership experience and gardening season coinciding with the emergence of COVID-19 in the United States, we didn’t accomplish all too much. I picked up tennis that same spring and got to enjoy a full two weeks on my school’s team. Once again, the pandemic cut that short. And of course, not a day went by where I didn’t think about politics, usually through the lens of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign.

Trying to translate these interests into participation in clubs and organizations at Pitt was a demoralizing process. anks to a serious case of small town protagonist syndrome, one of the rst decisions I made as a college student was to run for Sutherland Hall Council President. I positioned myself as some sort of environment- rst, Jay Inslee-like gure in a three-way race and — just like the Washington governor’s bid for the presidency — it ended in disappointment. I guess I didn’t do enough schmoozing in GroupMe, or maybe composting wasn’t the hot button issue I made it out to be.

With one avenue to something resembling political power closed o , I turned to Student Government Board. In a marginally less audacious move, I applied for First-Year See Troy on page 46

Promiti Debi senior staff illustrator

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