I am always nervous about meeting new people. I constantly feel awkward when I have to shake hands with a stranger and tell him or her my name, which they probably will not even remember in the first place.
It takes awhile for freshmen truly to realize that they’re in college. It’s time to step out of their boxes and meet strangers. Whether you feel awkward or not, the people you will meet do, too. Try not to let it show. You should just put on a smile, extend your hand and introduce yourself.
At Mississippi State University, there is an abundance of opportunities to meet new people. There are your classes, intramural sports, sororities and fraternities, clubs and even cool things like dorm cookouts. Who knows—maybe you will meet people in unexpected places. Like at a random campus rave.
At the rave on Aug. 12, my roommate and I found ourselves surrounded by neon glow sticks and hundreds of people. We spent about an hour dancing and people watching and we began to grow tired.
Right as we sat down, a group of three boys approached us. I saw the first one extend his hand to shake mine.
“Hey, I’m Kameron,” he said.
To explain their random approach, they used the term “rampaging.” Apparently they had begun to go out at night and meet as many random people in passing as they possibly could. Kameron explained he had a goal: to meet everyone on campus by his birthday, Sept. 30.
We chatted with the boys for awhile and soon learned that Kameron and one of the boys were roommates. We also discovered the three of them live in our residence hall, and they frequently “rampaged,” a term Kameron gave to meeting a lot of people in a short amount of time.
The very next night, my roommate and I decided we wanted in on the fun. We joined Kameron and a bunch of people they had met in their hallway, and we rampaged. We met many people who were already gathered outside, and it was the most fun I have had since I have been living on campus.
If I had let people know exactly how shy I really was, I probably would not have had as much fun that night. I would like to think of myself as an outgoing person, but I’m often jealous of exactly how confident and cool Kameron’s attitude is. He’ll approach a random person and not even flinch. I find myself thinking that he is an excellent example of how a freshman should be: willing to meet people, nice and open minded.
The best way to truly describe Kameron “Kam K” Killian is to say that he is high on life. He might not remember everyone’s names, but they will certainly remember his. I know I will.
I have never met anyone quite like Kameron before.
The goal that he is aiming to achieve is extremely ambitious. There are more than 18,000 students at Mississippi State, and there is no possible way to learn everyone’s names in this time span. Still, Kameron continues to venture around campus with a big smile on his face. Whether the goal is impossible or not, the effort is what truly counts.
I have had so much fun meeting so many people through someone so eager for life. It has definitely been an adventure, and it is not over yet. I hope it never truly is over. I hope that, when my calendar finally says Sept. 30, I continue to rampage.
Kameron’s target should hit people. His goal is not truly to meet everyone on campus, but to meet as many new people as possible in a friendly, open way. I strongly believe his goal will inspire others to do just that. His goal is so fascinating that I sometimes find myself believing that nothing is impossible.
Becca Horton is a freshman majoring in communication. She can be contacted at [email protected].