[General] Community involvement

I am sitting in the Cornerstone drinking an unsweetened, recently-brewed iced tea.  I used to have a dream of being a programmer-thespian.  I would live in a ghetto apartment, and do theatre and freelance programming.  I'd be incredibly happy and Scout Niblett (I recommend her "Miss My Lion") would play on repeat.  This was sort of a plan from the end of high school until 4th year University, when I got the taste for adventure.

In that conception of future me, I was also involved in the local community in hipster ways.  I ended up drifting away from external activity, but over the last year, I've really expanded, on campus at least.

• I'm on the exec for Guelph Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
• I'm on the board of the Graduate Student Association, representing the School of Computer Science (with one other)
• I'm on the board of Student Volunteer Connections (representing the GSA)
• I'm involved in Guelph Students for Environmental Change (alternatively, Genetic Swamp Elevated Coriander)
• I sometimes assist at Society Of Computing and Information Science events (like the recent install fest!)

Also, previously,

• I was the graduate student representative to my department
• I was a regular, involved member of Off-Campus University Students

And a bit less community-oriented,

• I'm a part of Sei Do Kai, the Iaido/Jodo/Kendo club on campus
• I help promote and attend some events for Campus Ubuntu (the philosophy, unrelated to Linux)
• and I'm a GNOME developer, though I slack a lot during busy school time (like right now)

Also, I'm friends with half of the Guelph Pagan Society.  Woah.  Student Volunteer Connections is the activity that has raised the greatest awareness in me of my impact on others.

I'm writing this also a bit to catalogue my recent activities, but also because I'm a member of the Guelph Campus Co-op.  It's an organisation on campus that, among other things, offers affordable housing to students (they own a lot of property!) and operate a textbook and school supplies store on campus with lower prices than the corporate bookstore. 

I've been a card-carrying member of the Guelph Campus Co-op for 7 years now, all through my Bachelors and now through my Masters.  I've historically benefited mostly through discounts on textbooks, but last year and this year I've attended their AGM.  This year was nice because a friend of mine, Chad, who inspired me to transition to vegan, was there and provided vegan cupcakes.  He sits on the board.  Also, I got to reacquaint myself with an old, friendly acquaintance, Cecelie,  It's really nice being able to reconnect with familiar faces from my undergraduate, especially in cases like this when you get to do more than just catch up.

So hooray for community, being involved, making friends, making change, fixing things, fixing myself, and cupcakes!