One of the nice things about attending such a large university is the vast diversity of interests that are able to be represented in one entity. There are literally hundreds of clubs and groups, formal and informal, that meet regularly on this campus. With this in mind, I set out to look for a club that discusses issues of national security or international relations. Out of the several clubs on offer here, I have become a member of the Alexander Hamilton Society, a nationally recognized chapter of an organization known for discussing the pressing geopolitical issues of the day, like Russian annexations of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, the TPP trade deal, the Syrian refugee crisis, and the Iranian nuclear deal that has recently been reached.
What made this club stand out from the others is that, unlike most debate or foreign affairs clubs I have attended, it features a truly diverse group of members from all walks of life and all shades along the political spectrum. I came into Ohio State as a hardened democrat and liberal, but after a year of attending these meetings and listening to the cases for certain courses of action on issues made by my conservative colleagues, I have definitely tempered my resolve with the liberal way of thinking and have become more moderate as a result. This club, more than anything else I have thus come across, has taught me to find balance when making a decision and never shut out someone’s opinion lest I block my thought s from important outside information.