GSP Community Reflection
Living and being part of the GSP Community is different from the rest of campus. As I walk past the dining hall, I see some GSPeeps talking and laughing inside. As I walk into North Quad, I see some GSPeeps studying at the tables. As I walk onto my floor, I see some GSPeeps watching a movie in the lounge. It feels like the GSP Community is engrained into my university experience – something I am very grateful for. No matter how large the university’s student body is, weaving in and out of the many students trying to get to class, I always know that I can come back to the North Quad and GSP Community after the day is over.
Prior to applying for GSP, I had heard that it is a really tight-knit community; however, I was not sure if this would be true if I was selected to be part of the community. Many organizations say this, but is it always true? Reflecting on this, I am extremely happy that I decided to apply for GSP – I have been part of the community for three years now and it is one of the best decisions I have made on campus. One of my favorite memories was going on the retreat with other student leaders in my second year – we all stayed in bunk beds, engaged in many activities, and more. It reminded me of my previous experiences in high school when I was in the marching band. We would travel to various locations, like Indianapolis and Pasadena, and stay in hotels together – and this is when I found my closest friends! At the GSP retreat as well, I developed a lot of friendships, and now I even have some of my friends from other organizations in GSP as well.
One aspect that is different from being a first-year member to a second-year member (and even to a third-year member) is the number of people in your “class”. There are less members who started in the same year as you that continue to a second or third year, but this allows us to grow even closer throughout this time and develop strong bonds with this smaller group that we stay with for a few years.
I will always remember my time in GSP – thank you for all the memories!
Natasha Saputra
B.A. | College of Engineering
University of Michigan Class of 2022