What's a Hokie?
When I was applying to Virginia Tech in the Fall of 2013, I had to answer the question:
"What are the top five reason you want to be a Hokie?"
I still stand by my response, because even though it was full of expectations, I have discovered that Virginia Tech fulfills every one of them.
Hokie. What is a “hokie”? In my pursuit for the answer to this question, I have discovered several valid and convincing answers: 1. a loyal Virginia Tech Fan, 2. a term coined by O.M. Stull, and 3. an applicant by the name of Hannah James. Everything about Virginia Tech seems perfect. The academics are renowned, the engineering program ranking among acclaimed universities such as Harvard and Princeton. Professors at Virginia Tech are passionate about their subjects, and students enthusiastic in their studies. The spirit at Virginia Tech is incredible. On any given day, most students can be found wearing the unique school colors, and alumni still proudly cheer on their sports teams. Food is a vital part of life, and Virginia Tech takes care to ensure that the food they provide is not only healthy, but aesthetic and appetizing. Even students who are interested in other universities admit that Virginia Tech has the best cafeterias. The community found at Virginia Tech is familiar and altruistic. Hokies take to heart their motto, Ut Prosim, and it causes a stronger, more distinct sense of family found at Virginia Tech than at any other college. Finally, while Virginia Tech is rigorous, the students still have fun. The extracurricular possibilities are endless, and the lawns provide a pleasant, open space for students to relax and throw a ball around. Academics. Spirit. Food. Community. Fun. If I wasn’t already a Hokie, those would be my top five reasons answering my interest in being one.
What's a Hokie? I am!
Community.
I live in Hypatia, which is a Living-Learning Community at Virginia Tech. Located in Lee Hall, Hypatia occupies two floors and is completely made up of female engineers. Our brother community is Galileo. We call ourselves Galipatia. Together we form a tight community of innovative thinkers, who work hard at developing professional, personal, and academic skills.
During the summer of 2014, I attended the Student Transitional Engineering Program (STEP) which was a five-week long program hosted for 90 students entering the College of Engineering in the Fall. Together we learned about engineering, Virginia Tech, and college. We struggled through our first math test together and celebrated together after finals week. My STEP Family still keeps in touch, and many of us live in Galipatia together. |
Community at Virginia Tech is something every student is insanely proud of. Every student is held to the same standard of respect, pride, and loyalty. We expect each other to treat everyone as a friend.
Strangers though we may be, together we are the Hokie Nation.
Service.
As a member of Hypatia, I was required to work at least ten hours of community service during the fall semester. My favorite community service event was the YMCA Craft Fair.
The YMCA Craft Fair was located in the lobby of the mall outside the Math Emporium. It was a four day long event, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, however, shifts were anywhere from an hour to four hours long. The goals of the shifts during the day ranged from directing customers to different stands, to babysitting stands for patrons if they had to step away for a moment, to handing out pamphlets about the actual event. The evening shifts involved cleaning up the actual mall and helping patrons lock down their stands.
The first time I worked was during a random Thursday shift in the middle of the day. There wasn’t much to do, but I was able to talk to the patrons and learn the whys and hows behind their business. One woman artisan made delicate jewelry from silver and insects donated from the Virginia Tech Department of Entomology. Another man painted beautifully realistic nature scenes with his mouth. There were so many talented artisans.
I also volunteered the following Sunday, but in the evening this time. I helped artisans take down their stands and carry their products and displays out to their vehicles. I cleaned up, picking up trash and removing tape from the floor. I also helped to reassemble the inside of the mall after most of the patrons had packed up and left. I learned several things at this event. Customer service, patience, and how to enjoy work with a cheerful attitude. I really enjoyed this event, because interacting with people is rewarding and fun.
The YMCA Craft Fair was located in the lobby of the mall outside the Math Emporium. It was a four day long event, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, however, shifts were anywhere from an hour to four hours long. The goals of the shifts during the day ranged from directing customers to different stands, to babysitting stands for patrons if they had to step away for a moment, to handing out pamphlets about the actual event. The evening shifts involved cleaning up the actual mall and helping patrons lock down their stands.
The first time I worked was during a random Thursday shift in the middle of the day. There wasn’t much to do, but I was able to talk to the patrons and learn the whys and hows behind their business. One woman artisan made delicate jewelry from silver and insects donated from the Virginia Tech Department of Entomology. Another man painted beautifully realistic nature scenes with his mouth. There were so many talented artisans.
I also volunteered the following Sunday, but in the evening this time. I helped artisans take down their stands and carry their products and displays out to their vehicles. I cleaned up, picking up trash and removing tape from the floor. I also helped to reassemble the inside of the mall after most of the patrons had packed up and left. I learned several things at this event. Customer service, patience, and how to enjoy work with a cheerful attitude. I really enjoyed this event, because interacting with people is rewarding and fun.
Serve outside of oneself.
Ut Prosim. That I May Serve.
I love Virginia Tech's motto. Adopted into a Christian home by Southern parents who were bred to follow the Golden Rule, I was trained to always put God first, others second, and myself third. But Ut Prosim is more than just a calling for the observation of “The Golden Rule.” Living by Ut Prosim implies that one is actively seeking to serve, that one is enthusiastically looking for opportunities in which to sacrifice time, money, and skills. In today’s culture, an arrogance that we can treat people callously because we don’t care what they think is often assumed. The Golden Rule has become irrelevant and inapt for a blasé society. Ut Posim demands an examination of the heart, because it requires the correct attitude. Ut Prosim has surpassed the stage of “being a good idea” and has become a necessary lifestyle for the betterment of humanity. Ut Prosim. That I May Serve, and, by God’s grace, serve well.