[nabs-l] Number one thing to do to prepare for college

[Michael D Ausbun]

Mikayla:
	I find this question to be rather difficult to answer, because there are many components that go into having a full and productive college experience. Of course, there are the typical actions, like finding a campus that best suits you; locating a major that you will (A) enjoy, and (B) obtain you gainful employment; and all of the other little things that goes into getting you prepared.
	I personally loved two components more in my college experience than any others. First, Greek life. I am a proud Assistant Alumnus Adviser for the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. I went into rush week looking for an organization that had similar ideals as myself–a focus on leadership, scholarship, and service. Additionally, I wanted to broaden my social experience, as I was someone who too often put my head in my books, and would not surface for a couple of hours. Kappa Sigma granted me all of those qualities, and more.
	Secondly, collegiate debate. I participated in an activity termed ‘Parliamentary debate,’ and my university belongs to the greater organization the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA). NPDA, as well as Lincoln Douglas and Policy debate fine-tune your critical thinking skills, research capabilities, and communication methods. Though the activity is not conducive to someone who is blind, there are ways to adapt the space to make the space more inclusive. Though I already had a passion for philosophy and politics, debate further strengthened my commitment to those and advocacy on the local, state, and federal levels. Additionally, nothing was more rewarding than being named an All-American for the NPDA alongside two others, finishing the season ranked 17 in the nation, and receiving a forensics award for being the top forensics competitor at the University of Nevada–in the span of two years.
	I suppose the short answer would be to identify your interests. There are dozens of organizations to get involved in on campus, and off campus. There are activities weekly, and lots of majors to pick from. Depending on your interests, you can select the ones that best fit you. For me, my interest in philosophy, law, and politics lead me into the student government, debate, a college fraternity, nineteen other clubs, and the National Federation of the Blind.
	Good luck!
Michael Ausbun

________________________________________
From: NABS-L [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Mikayla Gephart via NABS-L [nabs-l at nfbnet.org]
Sent: Sunday, December 04, 2016 3:34 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Cc: Mikayla Gephart
Subject: [nabs-l] Number one thing to do to prepare for college

Hi all,
        I have been following the thread that Ahbee started, and finally decided to post my own question. I am a junior in high school, and have been thinking a lot about college. What is the number one thing you would recommend me to do in order to prepare for college? When I talk about preparing for college, I am not just talking about the academics. I want to learn as much as I can about all aspects of college life. Thank you.
Mikayla
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