Seeing as this is my first blog post for SUNY Oswego, I wanted to start with an introduction of myself and my time at Oswego. So hello! My name is Ryan Sperry and I am a senior public relations major with a concentration in marketing. I’ve been involved a lot on campus. I was a DJ at WNYO 88.9 FM, president of the Oswego State Singers select vocal ensemble and captain and player for broomball, volleyball, softball and a few other intramural sports. As a PR major, I’ve also been involved in Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and have interned for the Compass and the Public Affairs Office. I have also spent the last two years working as a resident mentor in Johnson Hall working with first year students. I even danced a little with Del Sarte Dance Club. The list goes on and on. I’ve always been the kind of person to seek out new opportunities and experiences. Which brings me to my next point.

At SUNY Oswego, YOU define your college experience. There is so much to do here, enough where you will graduate and no matter how hard you try, you’ll only touch the surface. So how do you choose? When I got here two years ago, I was overwhelmed by how much there was. There are hundreds of choices and if you don’t like any of them, you can create your own club or set up your own pick-up games or whatever it is you want to do. Since I’ve gotten here, I watched one of my friends start Cut the Craft and a few other friends start the fishing club and badminton club. They have everything here! So how do you figure out what you want to do to have the best experience?  I have three tips.

1. Do something you love.

Find something you loved to do for fun at home. Or maybe even something you liked to do in gym class like flag football or going to open skate every day. It’s great if you love your major and the work you do, but find something outside of academics. You need some type of stress relief and what better way to get rid of stress than doing something you love and can completely immerse yourself in. You’ll probably find people with common interests and end up making your best friends there.

2. Do something you need.

In this world, just a college degree is not going to get you far, especially if you want that awesome dream job working for that high profile company that requires years of experience for even entry level employees. So find something that you need for that job. It doesn’t have to be miserable either, especially if you love what you are doing. Find an internship on-campus.  Join a club that coincides with your major or prospective industry. Do some community service. The more you can put on your resume that proves you’re responsible and passionate about what you do, the better your chance will be of finding a job after graduation.

3. Do something new.

One of the best things about college is being surrounded by new opportunities. The possibilities are endless. So reach out of your comfort zone and find something that interests you. Play broomball, learn how to dance, learn capoeira, get a personal trainer, take music lessons…do something! Even if you don’t like it, just move on to the next thing. At least you’ll realize something about yourself and other people. Who knows, the next time you try something new could completely change your life.