In the process of writing my learning statement and thinking about what my portfolio would look like, it felt natural to include the reflections I have written during my time at UW. Perhaps because of my major and interests, many of my classes have required reflections whether it be to reflect on a specific project or as a weekly check-in assignment. When I searched “reflection” in my Google Drive, I found over 30 documents with reflections ranging from 200 words to a few pages. I had so much material that I felt it would be too much to simply paste my reflections into my portfolio. Instead, I decided to analyze them almost like how one may analyze participant responses in qualitative research. I re-read them all, highlighting key words and pulling out quotes where I saw common themes. I then put these quotes into ChatGBT and asked which non-filler words I used most commonly. I then had it help me create a word cloud, shown below, of all the words that came up most often in my reflection. In order to show the recurring themes further, I also pulled some specific quotes from my reflections to showcase on this page. I tried to include quotes from many different class reflections and at least one from each year at UW. Together, the word cloud and quotes reveal a larger thread of learning and reflection during my time at UW.
The process of creating this visual also revealed the value of reflection in my education. As I read through each of my reflections, it was interesting to see new vocabulary and changes in my thinking as time went on. Going into it I thought that they would all be very similar but as I read my reflections back, I could see my thinking has deepened over time and could almost hear a growing maturity in my voice. At first, my reflections were more about summarizing what I had learned, staying within the boundaries of what I knew I was “supposed” to take away from a class or experience. But as I continued writing, I became more comfortable interrogating my own ideas, acknowledging gaps in my understanding, and critically assessing not only what I had learned but where I could improve.
Reflection has been a way for me to make sense of my education beyond just completing assignments. It has helped me connect ideas from class—like the importance of community trust in public health, the legacies of colonization, and my positionally—into a larger framework of how our systems shape individuals and communities. Writing has also been a way for me to process and cement my learning as I think about my role in public health and justice-oriented work. Instead of feeling paralyzed by what I don’t know, I now trust in my skills to learn and process new information.
Over time, I have also become more willing to reflect on challenges and allowed myself to be more vulnerable in my writing. Whether it was navigating professionalism norms during an internship, struggling to be direct in my writing, or confronting biases in my thinking, my reflections have become a space for both uncertainty and growth. I have learned that being reflective is about continuously questioning, revisiting, and refining my understanding. Moving forward, I hope to continue using reflection as a tool for growth.
"A key part of my college experience has been learning about my positionality and how the legacy of colonization and white supremacy continues to shape experiences globally."
"Now, I push myself to talk about topics I am not comfortable with and lead with a willingness to learn rather than fear of what I do not know yet."
“If we do not consider cultural capital, we may push damaging Western ideas of health onto communities.”
"Keeping up with trends can feel like a never-ending, impossible chase. It feels as if parts of women’s bodies are being packaged and sold to women in the form of certain products you must have to achieve a certain look."
"I believe that a continuous process of reflection is essential for intentional forward movement, which is especially important for lessons on diversity and justice."
“I have most enjoyed learning about cultural wealth through writing and thinking about community-based resilience and power.”
“The legacy of slavery coupled with white supremacy culture is the primary driver of health inequities for Black Americans.”
"It has become clear that I do not need to avoid these topics, but step into them. To do this effectively, I also need to do more learning and reflection on what my identity and positionality as a white woman means."
