Speaking for my mind

I always loved running, or jogging. For the most part, I am not the typical runner. I love running around La Cienega Park during middle school days, getting the weekly "bonus" at Palms Middle School, running to vent off frustration, running to clear pains, running to reduce stress, and running to think things through.

i find myself somehow uncovering myths, discovering my true inner callings, and finding resolutions while I run. I run as hard as I can, I run till my body feels numb, I run while staring at the sky. Somehow, it is an inspirational process.

Someone else put in better words for me:

"Perhaps most importantly, when I run I feel as if I am not really present. It’s me vs. myself, my mind working against the dull limitations of my body and gravity. I have to fight these limitations, stay restless and unsatisfied with the current capabilities. To lose this drive is to lose the will to run, for one must to be willing to make pain and discomfort of only secondary importance."

GROW together

1. Campuses have often been launching pads and pivot stations for social movements

2. Campuses are microcosms of the real world, and have many types of people to contribute to your org

3. Campuses have organized resources (organized student groups, financial resources for student activities, faculty, staff) to tap

4. College students are looking to make early determination of their life's purpose, choosing the issues on which they will lead

5. Older people want to help you succeed if you're a college student (they don't suspect ulterior motives)

6. You're providing opportunities for leadership and learning to many other students who will forever view you as a leader. This can, if you play it right, be a hugely valuable networking play

7. You can get on the good side of the school administration by establishing yourself as a student leader

8. You have a valuable niche and a compelling story to tell older professionals. Indeed, some businesspeople, lawyers, NGO leaders, etc are looking to expand their product lines or services to college markets. You can be the connector

9. You learn (mostly through small failures and feedback from all the members and your core leadership team) a ton about leadership, professionalism, management, organizational dynamics, politics, basic economics, networking, time management, and stress management.

10. All the stuff you learn makes you a better interviewee when you graduate and you're looking for jobs. You're not just another resume in the pile. In fact, you might meet so many professionals in the process of building your org that you get a job purely through the connections. And if you're not looking for jobs upon graduation--you're taking the more entrepreneurial route--you have a solid set of experiences, resources, connections, and lessons to help you launch.

#11, just for fun: You can easily scale your org nationally by calling up friends on other campuses and telling them to start chapters.

13 3, Discovering qualities you had that you didn't know or thought you could have - starting anything new is an intensely creative process which requires you to stretch your limits, break status quos and constantly innovate by necessity of the nature of the work - allows for much inter-disciplinary learning.