Virginia Tech's SAA Blog!

Hi everyone! I hope this blog post finds you well. My name is Sophya Hargenrater, and I am currently finishing up my spring semester as a freshman here at Virginia Tech. Although my freshman year experience wasn’t normal, I still was able to find ways to make my year as memorable as possible.  It didn’t begin that way though: I walked on campus for the first time as a freshman with high expectations. I thought I was going to make a close circle of friends (my “future bridesmaids” - I’m sure you’ve heard that a ton), get a 4.0 GPA, and explore all Virginia Tech has to offer. The truth is, I stuck with my friends from high school because that was the safe thing to do. I did join a few clubs, like the Big Event, but everything was over Zoom so nothing clicked there. Plus, we weren’t really allowed to socialize in the dorms, and I didn’t really click with anyone in my hall either. My school work also threw me for a loop. As an engineering major, classes were more difficult than I was e...

  Dear New Members, First, congratulations on joining the 100 most spirited Hokies! You should all be immensely proud of yourselves and excited for the journey to come. As a graduating senior, I was in your shoes only three years ago. Looking back, my time in SAA has completely transformed my college experience for the better. I’ve had amazing opportunities to serve and interact with some of the best that Hokie Nation has to offer. Being in SAA has made me a better leader, a better friend, and a better Hokie. My advice to you as you join this organization is going to be “lean in”. You have the opportunity to just come in each semester, do your five sign ups, and show up to fulfill your requirements. Or, you can go to SAAcials. You can utilize your big/little relationships. You can join committees, do boothing, and go above and beyond. That way, when you reflect on your time in the organization, your heart will fill with joy for the person joining the organization that has given you...