APO Reflection

I heard about APO last semester but by the time that I learned about the organization, most of the rushing events had already passed. Most of my exposure to APO is due to friends, who are already members of APO, telling me about their experiences.

I’m interested in joining APO simply because I enjoy service and I want to make it a bigger part of my Cornell experience. This summer, I spent two months in Buffalo working at a community center that caters to refugees. During that time, it wasn’t uncommon for me to be in awe of the people that I interacted with and the experiences that I had as a result of this opportunity. Obviously, I could only hope that I was having an impact and making a difference, but I knew undoubtedly that the experience
had a positive impact on me. Since leaving Buffalo and coming back to campus, I feel like I’ve been stuck in a bubble where the only things that I think about are classes, homework, and club-meetings. It’s easy to get absorbed by these things, but it’s important to snap out of the bubble from time to time. Service give me a chance to help others and snap out of a cycle where I only spend time thinking about myself.

First, I think I hope to gain exposure to the wide array of service activities that APO has to offer. APO partners with so many different organizations and communities that I might not otherwise have contact with. Secondly, I believe that joining APO will help me grow as a leader and a person. Finally, I hope to gain friendship. While rushing, I got to meet a lot of wonderful people and I had fun. As a member of APO, I would love to continue meeting new people and bonding over our shared interests.

I will bring my dedication and tenacity to the brotherhood. Once I commit to something I rarely give up. Even when things get hard, I’m all about finding a way to make things work.