What Dreams Are Made Of (The Club Edition)

My second year at the University of Toronto has been the best year of my adult life.

I mean my first year was also a lot of fun, but this year...this year my friends, I was a second year. I had a whole year to make U of T my home. My confidence in myself as an individual had increased exponentially! In fact, I think I'm the most confident person at U of T right now (excluding third-, fourth-, and of course seventh-years).

I’m totally joking.

Well only a little. Being a student at Trinity College in second year truly increased my confidence not just as a student, but as a member of a community. Having the pleasure of associating with the small tight-knit community that Trinity College offered during my first year allowed me to become more than just a leader in my second year.

I grew into myself – I felt like I no longer had to hide who I was. I realized the importance of staying involved in the university community, and how crucial it was to get out of your comfort zone.

And I didn’t even have to read Harry Potter. (Note: Trinity College looks exactly like ‘Hogwarts,’ in case you didn’t know)

Anyway, having achieved my coming-of-age and whatnot, I decided I would create a club at Trinity – a club that celebrated my, and many other individuals’, interest in pop culture and satirical humour. "Societas pro gentibus qui linguam latinam non loquuntur,” or “a club for people who don't speak Latin."

Thus, the Trinity College Finer Things Club (or the Trinity College Contemporary Art Society for résumés) was born.

And to my surprise it was a success! I say “surprise” because other than a select few groups, many groups at Trinity are dedicated to professionalism and governance.

Although I do enjoy being professional, I soon realized that I don't have energy to be an adult all the time. I needed an outlet for good-old, simple-minded fun.

Through Facebook, I gathered a group of brilliant, yet quirky individuals to be executive members, and we drafted our mandate and budget plans within the same day. The next week we held our first event, a screening of the Academy Award snubbed film The Lizzie McGuire Movie. There were no snacks, but that didn’t stop the diverse groups of individuals that came from truly appreciating finer cinema.

Our next events also had high levels of attendance, and I learned the true value of participating in my community. Stepping out of your comfort zone means other individuals with similar passions can do the same. To be a leader means more than just being a leader, it means that you can screen Space Jam as an official event.

With confidence, a great community, and a $400 pre-approved budget, you can make any of your dreams come true.

U of T, what kind of clubs are you interested in joining? Are you thinking about starting a club of your own? Don't be afraid! Remember the wise words of the great Hannah Montana!