It’s about that time of the semester again where Washburn University freshmen descend upon Washburn A&B for the magic that is the Bowtie Fair.

In this magical place they will find student organizations aplenty, academic opportunities galore, and even a few on-campus jobs. It really is a joyous and fantastic time of year. Okay in all seriousness, I know no one is THAT excited about the Bowtie Fair, but in all actuality, maybe we should be (bare with me on this.)

Bowtie is the one place that brings almost all on-campus activities and organizations straight to us. Not to mention it also brings student resources, academic advancement opportunities and it could even help searching students find a job. These are amazing opportunities Washburn dishes out, and if we aren’t going to the Bowtie Fair or if we are going, and just rushing through it (no shame I did it too) then we aren’t getting anything more out of it then maybe a couple of signatures and some extra credit.

Joining organizations which foster one’s personal and/or academic growth is such an important part of the college experience. Campus organizations help to foster social interaction, personal growth and strong networking. All three of these things are very important if one is looking to get the most out of their college experience, and Bowtie provides them all. Whether one wants to get involved in Greek Life, or if community service is their jam or if all someone really wants to do is play Dungeons and Dragons, the Bowtie will have something there for them.

Another cool thing that Bowtie offers is connections to job opportunities. Some students are eligible for state or federal work studies, and there will be booths that may offer opportunities for students to use those funds to work on campus. Bowtie also features other on-campus jobs that you can get, regardless of qualifying for a work study.

Campus jobs are a great option for students because on campus they know as a student we aren’t exactly available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They know sometimes we have an hour between classes here and a morning free there, and they will work with that. They recognize that as a student you can’t (or at least shouldn’t) be putting in a 40 hour work week on top of being a full time student.

For a job on campus during the semester, one can only work a maximum 20 hours a week. This is to help students balance work and school without burning them out. The Bowtie can help connect students who want them with these jobs because at Washburn, they understand it’s ‘Non Nobis Solum’ (not for ourselves alone.)

So maybe we should be more excited about the Bowtie Fair and all the opportunities it brings us. After all, most of us have to go and take that selfie and get those signatures anyway, so we may as well get something out of it.

Let’s face it, college shouldn’t just be a place where one spends some of their time over the course of four or more years. College should be where one has the potential to grow up, become independent, find oneself, develop one’s world view and gain friends and allies for life. Going to the Bowtie Fair could be the first step in the journey through college life. We as students just have to take the first step…and that’s the tea from me to WU.

Edited by Abbie Barth, Adam White, Jada Johnson