It's never too late to join

According to a 2025 study conducted by Inside Higher Ed, "today's students are less engaged than previous classes.” The study concluded that while campus engagement has increased since 2020, rates are still lower than in 2019.

Inside Higher Ed says the decline of socialization occurred as a result of COVID-19. This shift in student engagement affects students' ability to have a traditional campus experience. 

I have attended UAA for the past four years, and I am on track to graduate in 2027. Before joining The Northern Light, I had never been a part of a club on campus. I spent the last four years working a full-time job to pay for tuition, so I felt like I did not have time to immerse myself in campus culture. 

The most on-campus exposure I would receive would be the occasional study session in the library and attending various games at the Alaska Airlines Center. I would spend week after week cheering on our Seawolf athletes, but I felt like I never had a true “college experience.”

After my high school gap year, I was frightened to dive into university life. I occasionally dipped my toes into the school spirit, but I never found it warm enough to cannonball in. 

In my earlier years at UAA, I made friends with a fellow Zoom classmate, and I joined a coed volleyball team. I stepped out of my comfort zone and began playing volleyball at the Avis Alaska Sports Complex once a week. I was anxious, but once I got over my initial fears of meeting new people, I loved it. I was able to experience the inclusivity and diversity that UAA provides. 

I decided this year that I wanted to gain work experience to contribute to my professional career after I graduate. I quit my full-time job to focus on school and to build my portfolio. For the longest time, I put my work first and school second. I needed a change. 

For years, my mom told me to join The Northern Light and get my writing published. I declined her suggestions because I was concerned about balancing shift hours with trying to experience more of campus life. I decided now was time to not only start writing for pleasure, but to see what UAA can offer outside the classroom. 

Since becoming more involved with the UAA community, I have felt so much joy having the opportunity to write about topics that are important to me, and I wish I had started when my mom had first suggested it. 

For anyone thinking about joining a club or applying for a job on campus, do it. Not only do you learn new skills and meet new people, but you get to be a part of a community that cares. 

It's never too late to join.