My goals and expectations
for this quarter have changed tremendously! My research into different classes,
resources, and opportunities have greatly changed my perspective. I think now I
am less decided on one thing, but am more willing to try to look at all my
possible options, so that instead of trying to pursue and academic goal with “blinders”
on, I spend much more time and energy trying to widen my horizons and academic
interests.
I did not expect the overwhelming nature of resources when coming to the UW. I knew I had come here for the abundance of resources, clubs, and groups on campus, the multitude of scholars, academic programs, and research opportunities, and I knew that having these was options was important to me. However, I could not have fully comprehended – and still cannot truly wrap my head around – the sheer number of opportunities at the UW. I could honestly never have imagined how many events and informational seminars there would be every afternoon of any given week, or how many clubs seem to have meetings on Wednesday evenings. And perhaps most of all, I never could have known how frightening it would be to have to try to navigate through this ocean of opportunities, when I had enough sleepless nights thinking about wading through the pond at my high school. It seemed at first like for every on door I stepped through, another six closed. At the beginning of the quarter, this was troubling to me.
However, this pressure began to lift as I realized that the impossible number of resources and opportunities came with a certain freedom – it would be impossible to take advantage of all of them. Thus, I began to try to sort through what was most important to me, and what I felt I wanted to devote the most time to, and decided to just get involved in those few organizations to start with, trying not to bite off more than I could chew. The Honors 100 Assignments greatly factored into my first few decisions as I was guided through my interests, my priorities, and my first priority, my academic schoolwork. Knowing that all the extracurriculars were an important second priority, and ones that would shape my years of UW. Given the structure of the assignments (having opportunities suggested to us, filling out a chart of things I want to do before I graduate) I want to further explore a few resources. I definitely know I want to explore a study abroad option, as well as an entrepreneurship minor if I get accepted, and get involved in a leadership role in a service club here – Rachel Straughn recommended Child Oral Relief through Education – and I am enjoying going their club meetings now. Its also important to me to be able to able to continue my work with diversity through the ASUW, and am trying to find a way to do that now. Having been able to narrow down my interests in a way that lets e enjoy and pursue them really took the weight off of my shoulders to not be constantly “shutting doors”.
By the end of my first year in Honors I hope to have a clearer picture of what I want to pursue academically as a major. I plan to do this by talking through my option in the UW Career Center, as well as the Honors Advisors to discuss what options are best for me. I also hope to have completed a meaningful and successful leadership project in UW Leaders. Most of all I hope to have gained a strategic work ethic that best utilizes the resources of the UW to improve my academic success. I think in the past few weeks with the second round of midterms I have begun to find what works for me and what doesn’t, but over the course of the year I hope to have developed more strategies for academic success.
I hesitate to point at specific goals for all of my time at UW – I know the years will fly by and it is important to have direction – but at the same time I want to allow myself the fluidity to be shaped by different extracurriculars and classes, and not truly know where I end up. I think that I want most to remember throughout my time here that the University of Washington, at its core, is an institute of higher education, and that my presence and privilege here as one of its students is to try to learn as much as I can, not only about myself, but how to effect change in the world around me. I think that my main goal for my time here at the UW is not so much specific academic goals, or extracurricular goals – yet. I am too early in my career to determine that. Instead, I hope that at the end of my years here I find contentment in the higher education I have received and earned, and that I leave here knowing a great deal more about the wordl and my role in it.
I did not expect the overwhelming nature of resources when coming to the UW. I knew I had come here for the abundance of resources, clubs, and groups on campus, the multitude of scholars, academic programs, and research opportunities, and I knew that having these was options was important to me. However, I could not have fully comprehended – and still cannot truly wrap my head around – the sheer number of opportunities at the UW. I could honestly never have imagined how many events and informational seminars there would be every afternoon of any given week, or how many clubs seem to have meetings on Wednesday evenings. And perhaps most of all, I never could have known how frightening it would be to have to try to navigate through this ocean of opportunities, when I had enough sleepless nights thinking about wading through the pond at my high school. It seemed at first like for every on door I stepped through, another six closed. At the beginning of the quarter, this was troubling to me.
However, this pressure began to lift as I realized that the impossible number of resources and opportunities came with a certain freedom – it would be impossible to take advantage of all of them. Thus, I began to try to sort through what was most important to me, and what I felt I wanted to devote the most time to, and decided to just get involved in those few organizations to start with, trying not to bite off more than I could chew. The Honors 100 Assignments greatly factored into my first few decisions as I was guided through my interests, my priorities, and my first priority, my academic schoolwork. Knowing that all the extracurriculars were an important second priority, and ones that would shape my years of UW. Given the structure of the assignments (having opportunities suggested to us, filling out a chart of things I want to do before I graduate) I want to further explore a few resources. I definitely know I want to explore a study abroad option, as well as an entrepreneurship minor if I get accepted, and get involved in a leadership role in a service club here – Rachel Straughn recommended Child Oral Relief through Education – and I am enjoying going their club meetings now. Its also important to me to be able to able to continue my work with diversity through the ASUW, and am trying to find a way to do that now. Having been able to narrow down my interests in a way that lets e enjoy and pursue them really took the weight off of my shoulders to not be constantly “shutting doors”.
By the end of my first year in Honors I hope to have a clearer picture of what I want to pursue academically as a major. I plan to do this by talking through my option in the UW Career Center, as well as the Honors Advisors to discuss what options are best for me. I also hope to have completed a meaningful and successful leadership project in UW Leaders. Most of all I hope to have gained a strategic work ethic that best utilizes the resources of the UW to improve my academic success. I think in the past few weeks with the second round of midterms I have begun to find what works for me and what doesn’t, but over the course of the year I hope to have developed more strategies for academic success.
I hesitate to point at specific goals for all of my time at UW – I know the years will fly by and it is important to have direction – but at the same time I want to allow myself the fluidity to be shaped by different extracurriculars and classes, and not truly know where I end up. I think that I want most to remember throughout my time here that the University of Washington, at its core, is an institute of higher education, and that my presence and privilege here as one of its students is to try to learn as much as I can, not only about myself, but how to effect change in the world around me. I think that my main goal for my time here at the UW is not so much specific academic goals, or extracurricular goals – yet. I am too early in my career to determine that. Instead, I hope that at the end of my years here I find contentment in the higher education I have received and earned, and that I leave here knowing a great deal more about the wordl and my role in it.