What Do The “Rookies” Really Think About YIG?

By Isabelle Berg, Fond du Lac

There are always a couple of newbies in a group, not quite as experienced as the rest of them, I guess another way to put it is they’re the rookies. Well, how are these new members feeling about YIG? Why did they even bother joining in the first place? In order to put these questions into perspective I sent out an interview in order to find out how exactly these students felt about YIG, and trust me, the answers were very honest!

When joining a new club there’s always a little bit of fear, and a sense of the unknown, after all, you may not know what you’re even getting yourself into! According to some new members, They describe their first experience with YIG like this. “At first I was a little bit nervous about joining because I had never done anything like it before and I didn’t know how it would be.” Another person also commented, “ It’s a lot of people, and talking in front of people.”

While some people had their fears and stereotypes of YIG they also had a reason for joining. One mentioned, “I’ve always been interested in government and politics, especially debating about laws and policies. Whenever I’ve watched C-SPAN congress debates and speeches, I always thought ‘that’s really cool, and I definitely want to do that someday.’” Other people noted that they were interested in debating different topics, learning more about government, or because other friends were involved with YIG.

Now that YIG has been going on for a while people can start to really see what YIG is all about. “I like that we can meet new people and it’s a group of people and we just debate” Another new member describes their own experience saying, “I think that a lot of the people in YIG are super nice and will help you if you have any questions. I enjoy being in the media branch because I like photography and writing articles.”

While YIG is fun it also comes with its share of challenges, several students express challenges they have encountered such as not being able to attend the conference and interviewing people. When asked about some of the negatives about YIG someone replied, “A lot of talking and I kinda suck at talking.” Despite some of the challenges these new members have been experiencing, they have also learned how to overcome them and push through.

Additionally, the conference is something that new members will be able to experience for the first time. “I am excited to go to the YIG conference this year. I have never been to it, so I’m looking forward to the experience.” A portion of people explained that they are afraid of messing up or nervous in general, however, overall it seems that many new members are excited to be part of YIG and take advantage of this opportunity. “I look forward to the meetings, and I’m excited for the discussions and the laughs we have during them.” one student announced.

Although there may have been some fears and challenges within YIG, the new members or “rookies” have been working towards the goal of YIG and exploring what government is all about. One student even admits, “I plan on doing YIG next year. I would tell incoming freshmen to just try it out. You never know when you’ll find something that you end up enjoying.” Counting the overwhelming enthusiasm towards the conference and work put forth I think it’s fair to say that while the rookies may still be new to this, they are definitely beginning to understand and enjoy how truly amazing YIG can be.