I am one of those students.

When I first arrived at Michigan State, I knew I wanted to get involved in some sort of extracurricular activity. Throughout my whole life, I had been involved with various clubs and organizations ranging anywhere from Girl Scouts to gymnastics on horseback. I knew such a big school would hold wonderful new opportunities for me.

The only problem was I didn’t have a clue where to start.

Then I heard about an event called Sparticipation — the on-campus event where all different types of clubs and student organizations come together to promote themselves to the entire MSU community.

It was there that I found my niche at MSU — in a cappella music.

I had been singing my entire life and was wondering about ways to extend my musical experience after high school. When I first walked up to the Ladies First a cappella booth at Sparticipation, I was greeted with warm smiles, a boom box playing music and, of course, a bowl of candy.

As I was standing at their booth, I realized that Ladies First was not a new thing — it was celebrating its 25th anniversary that year, making it the premier all-female a cappella group on campus.

Then I realized it was girls, such as the ones standing across from me, who kept this group going generation after generation. I could tell these girls were passionate about each other and the group itself, and I couldn’t wait to get involved in any way I could.

After talking with girls in the group and signing up to audition, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I had never been involved in any a cappella group in the past, and I didn’t know anyone in the group I was auditioning for, but I thought: “What the heck!”

After joining Ladies First, I quickly discovered what a blessing it was to stumble across their booth at Sparticipation.

It was in this group that I found my roommates and some of my closest friends. It was also a wonderful — and much needed — outlet from school, work and the rigorous stress of being a college student.

No matter what your interest, clubs and activities are a wonderful way to get involved and meet students with similar tastes and passions.

I remember feeling overwhelmed my first few weeks at MSU. Although I loved the huge campus, I needed to find a way to make it smaller — which, in turn, actually made it bigger.

After joining Ladies First, I was welcomed into an entire MSU a cappella community filled with different types of groups and people. Although there are many different groups, I learned the a cappella community genuinely supports, respects and cares for one another. By trying to make campus smaller and joining Ladies First, I actually was thrown into a huge group of loving, musical people who support each other no matter what the circumstance.

This weekend marks my third Acapalooza, an annual fall concert that brings the entire a cappella community on one stage.

Every group works extremely hard to come together to put on a great show, all while having a fun time together.

Thinking about the excitement of this upcoming weekend has made me feel incredibly nostalgic and blessed that I stumbled across such a life-changing opportunity.

Ladies First has become my musical therapy when I honestly didn’t know how I was going to make it through the week. Every member of Ladies First is different and unique in her own way. We each come from different backgrounds, hometowns, majors and friend groups, but we all have one thing in common: a love to sing and create music with each other.

The 15 girls in this group have filled the spot I thought was empty when I first started at MSU, and for that, I feel forever grateful and truly blessed.

Paige Bolen is a guest columnist at The State News and a journalism and advertising senior. Reach her at bolenpai@msu.edu.