The beginning of the spring semester here at Ouachita always starts the same way: Rush Week. There is never a dull moment. It’s a busy time for those trying to decide if they want to make a social club part of their college experience. Many participate in Rush and find the club that’s perfect for them; others may decide that social clubs aren’t really their thing.
I’m not in a social club. I decided freshman year after Rush Week that it really wasn’t for me. Even though I initially had doubts as to whether I did the right thing or not, I haven’t regretted choosing to remain an independent, or “indie.”
There are many ways to get involved on campus. I enjoy doing a number of things on campus, but I also love having the freedom to sit in my bed on a Saturday afternoon watching Netflix to my heart’s content.
I’m a double major (Christian studies and sociology), and I also have a work-study job, which is writing and editing for this wonderful newspaper. Along with a number of other activities I’ve got going on during the week, any free time I get is as precious as diamonds!
Simply judging from the experiences of my friends who are involved in social clubs, they are committed to attend a number of events and do a number of different things for their social clubs, such as attend sporting events, participate in intramural sports and go to club meetings, just to name a few. With that being said, it’s safe to say that there are things that members of social clubs have to do that they might not want to do.
Now I’m just going to put this out there: I love my downtime. I love spending the weekends watching movies, reading a book, hanging out with friends, sleeping in and pretty much doing nothing. It’s a great way to wind down after spending the previous five days in school. When you’re in a social club, oftentimes you are committed to attending different events on the weekends, some of which might involve waking up early.
Don’t get me wrong; some people live for this stuff. I happen to enjoy vegging out over waking up early to go somewhere on a Saturday. Saturday is a sacred day for me; it is the only day of the week I get to sleep in. Being an indie allows me to sleep in as long as I want on my Saturdays, and that, friends, is a beautiful thing.
Being an indie doesn’t only allow me the freedom to do nothing, but it also allows me the freedom to keep a flexible schedule. I’m from Little Rock, so if a good opportunity to go home and see my puppy pops up out of the blue, I have the freedom to do so. Likewise, if some of my friends make some last-minute plans to go do something over the weekend, normally I have the time to join them.
This is probably the best part of being an indie. It gives you flexibility with your free time, which is a huge bonus for me. I like being able to plan out my own weekends or evenings, even if my plans involve me wearing pajamas and watching “The Office” for the millionth time. The point is, I get to plan out my weekends myself. I don’t have anyone telling me that I have to go do this or that. If I waited till the last minute to work on some homework assignment, I can get it done without worrying about any other committments.
Flexibility is something that I prize; it’s one of the blessings of college. This is the one time in my life that I can choose to do whatever I want with my time. It allows me to stop and be still. It gives me the ability to be there for friends or family that I may not have had if I’d been in a social club. Simply put, it gives me more time.
Another good thing about remaining independent is that it helps me reach out to underclassmen, especially freshmen, who aren’t a part of a social club, whether that be their choice or not. Sometimes being a part of a social club seems like the world, especially to a freshman girl, and it allows me to show them what else Ouachita has to offer.
By no means do I think being in a social club is bad. On the contrary, I know many people who have been blessed during their time in their social clubs and wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. Social clubs introduce you to new people and allow you to do a variety of wonderful things. They oftentimes bless you with memories that you cherish for the rest of your life. Being a member of a social club can be the highlight of your college career.
Be that as it may, college can be just as fun and fulfilling by being an indie. Being an indie gives you opportunities to get involved in other activities that you might not have considered beforehand. It gives you the freedom to do whatever you want with your time, whether that be ministry, a job or an afternoon hammocking. Personally, it’s allowed me more time to focus on my relationships with people, especially those who aren’t in social clubs. Your college experience can be just as great as an independent as it would be as a member of a social club.
The indie life is a great one, and if being a member of a social club isn’t your thing, just relax. There’s something here for everyone.
– Katherine Carter, opinions editor
