Being involved and engaged is key to reaping the benefits of anything. Being a leader is more than just being in charge or having the knowledge of a specific task, but experiencing it with the people you are trying to lead and making a visible difference to them. Leadership is not about being in the foreground and the “head honcho,” but about being a part of a group.

There are a lot of ways to be a leader. You don’t just have to be the president of an organization or even have an elected position on a board. You can be a leader in the classroom by consistently participating in class or helping other students who may be falling behind or not understanding the information.

A good leader knows when to follow. A lot of people in leadership positions want to bark orders at others all day or delegate tasks. A true leader knows that it is also about giving others the opportunity to lead, because your leadership was an effective example for them.

Ah, snow.

It was exciting the first time it canceled school for the night, then the next day, then early the next morning. I got to go back to my childhood and sled on a nearby hill with other CNU students.

Then it came and gave us an early spring break. With the threat of the storm that would prevent students from safely going home, CNU made the decision to cancel school Thursday and Friday, allowing students an early spring break and the chance to go home early and safely before the storm hit.

I was in the library when they sent the text that school was canceled, and the library ERUPTED into laughs, screams and praise. It was hilarious.

So everyone went on their merry way – except me, the other RAs, the Einstein’s workers, some athletes, front desk assistants and other student workers.

I was a little sad, I’m not gonna lie. I wanted to go home and see my family and start my break early.

But, it ended up being so fun.

I got time to spend with my friends, to hang out on an almost empty campus, and had an excuse to eat out as much as possible. I got to play in the snow, to drink hot coffee at any time of the day and to watch unhealthy amounts of Netflix.

My early spring break was spent as more of a snow break – but I can’t complain.