One of the most memorable parts of my first weeks at Hopkins was the student involvement fair. The recreation center was filled to the brim with hundreds of student organizations and clubs. The student involvement fair is an event where organizations showcase what they’re doing and how you can get involved with them throughout the year.
There were a few clubs that stood out to me: one was Wings, and the other was mock trial. Wings is a menstrual advocacy group, and that drew me in because I was also involved in raising awareness for menstrual equity in high school. I was part of a club that successfully campaigned for pad dispensers to be installed in all the high school and middle school bathrooms. Through Wings, I was excited to be able to extend that advocacy and service into my college life. This club has many different types of community outreach opportunities like Wellness on Wheels, which provides free menstrual products and education on campus.
There is an immense diversity of student clubs at Hopkins. I’m sure if you have a passion from high school, you’ll find an opportunity to pursue it in college. College is also a great place to start something completely new. For me, that was mock trial.
Mock trial is a competition in which students simulate a real trial by playing the roles of lawyer or witness. There was a mock trial team at my high school, but the pandemic prevented us from going to any tournaments, so I never continued after my first year. As someone who enjoyed being in middle school plays and was considering a future in law, I knew mock trial was something I could love. For the last two years, I spent all my time pursuing activities I was deeply committed to, from the school band to community service projects. Mock trial was the first time in a while I felt like a beginner. As part of the try out, I stood in front of a room of strangers. It was nerve-wrecking. Thankfully, my rehearsing of my witness statement and cross examination paid off and I was given a place on the team. I was also happy to learn there were others on the team who had never done mock trial.
There is a learning curve for mock trial, which has its own set of complicated jargon, rules, and procedures. When I first looked at the case packet, I had no idea what I was reading and had a million different questions. Going to tournaments presented new difficulties. Me and the other first-years on the team dived straight into the deep end. Luckily, the captains kindly guided us through the process with so much humor and understanding. Mock trial became a community I adored, and I met people I probably wouldn’t have crossed paths with otherwise. Tournaments were exciting because I was able to leave my comfort zone knowing I had a supportive team with me the entire time. Mock trial gave me unforgettable memories like being stuck on the side of the road in New Jersey at 11 p.m. because of a flat tire. It was a bonding moment to say the least.
At the end of last semester, I was voted to be the social chair. I can’t wait to continue building the amazing community of mock trial. When I was in that crowded recreation center and signed up for that tryout, I never could have predicted what mock trial would add to my college life. All to say, when you enter the chaotic student involvement fair, don’t be afraid of trying something completely new.
