In less than one month, I will join over a thousand seniors here at TCU in moving on to the next chapter in life. Some will attend graduate school, some will start careers and some will hope to start a career at some point soon after graduation. Regardless of the path we choose, we will all look back at the many memories we developed as Horned Frogs.

Thinking back on my four years here, there are so many things I learned both in and out of the classroom. Early on at the university, I joined many spiritual organizations to fill a void in the knowledge of my faith that I struggled with in high school. I joined Alpha Phi Omega my sophomore year after seeing a sign by Sadler and simply wanting to boost my community service credentials, but I have enjoyed many good times with great friends and have continued with it to this day. This showed me the importance of branching out and learning more about what interests you, since it can lead to many great things you never expected.

I have started two organization chapters at the university, one with hundreds of other chapters (Young Americans for Liberty) and one with only one other (Camp 14 Project). Founding these two chapters along with holding leadership positions in other organizations have enabled me to gain experience I couldn’t have received in a classroom but will be vital after graduation nonetheless. I encourage everyone to run for office in a club or student government if at all possible.

For academic matters, challenge yourself rather than simply taking classes because they are easy or can raise your GPA. Not only will you get more for your tuition money this way, but your transcript will probably look better too, even if your GPA is slightly lower. Also, try to take electives that will help you after you graduate.

My advice to underclassmen is to explore the wide range of extracurricular activities available at the university, but generally try to stick with a few throughout your college career. I’ve seen many people come and go throughout my time in organizations, often due to time constraints and other commitments, but it’s easy to fall off the wagon in one group and not regain the same sense of camaraderie elsewhere. If you can find something you really like and stick with it, it will be much more rewarding.

To all other seniors, I say good luck, and to underclassmen, I encourage you to consider what I’ve written and what you’ve experienced to make the most of your years left at the universtiy. It can be easy to get caught up in the grind of tests and papers, but don’t forget about the many opportunities and memories you have and will take with you after you graduate.

Jack Enright is a senior political science and international economics double major from Tomball, Texas.