Friends
Moving far from home for college was nerve wracking. I remember not really thinking about actually leaving my family and my home town until I actually got on the plane. With all my things crammed into a couple duffel bags, I put on a brave face but I was nervous. I knew that I had to put effort into making good friends and strong relationships to thrive. Moving into the dorms without knowing a single person felt so vulnerable. Now that I am in my senior year, I have amassed so many memories with great people who I really feel comfortable with. I am proud to have put myself out there and invested into such kind, smart, genuine people. These pictures represent some great mementoes with awesome people.
Hobbies
In addition to strong relationships, I need hobbies to thrive. Depending on what phase I am in, I enjoy crocheting, ceramics, and jewelry making. I love to make things that I can use everyday like bowls, pillows, mugs, earrings, and “catch-all” dishes. I enjoy being surrounded by things that I have made and, similarly, love buying from local artists. My favorite thing I have made is a wool blanket that lives on my bed at home. There is nothing like settling in under a blanket where every stitch was stitched by me. The most beautiful part of this is that making these things is when I feel most relaxed. To have something both relaxing and fulfilling is so satisfying and special. These photos show some of my creations. In addition, the button links to some of the fruits of my short photography phase when I was a photographer for The Daily.
Working
The best applications of the learning in my classes have been my opportunities to work. My first job at college was working at the District Market on North Campus. That was so fun because I got to see many familiar faces at the store and I could leave my dorm at 3:58 and clock in at 4pm. Also, during freshman year, I completed a research internship at Seattle Children’s. The lab was Sleepazoid, studying the relationship between screens and adolescent sleep. I liked the environment and my coworkers and thought the study was interesting. However, the work was tedious and I couldn’t see myself pursuing research long term.
Next, I started working as a Student Operations Assistant at the Population Health Initiative. It was my first experience working in a paid role that was related to my carrer goals, which was a big deal. This job has ended up being so much more than I expected. I learned how to manage information and engage stakeholders. I learned about how research is funded and ways to track return on investment. I got to help out in events on so many of my interests, exploring topics like AI and health, social entrepreneurship, disaster resilience, women in entrepreneurship, youth mental health, and more. It showed me what a positive work culture looks and feels like. This was the best job I could’ve had as a student because it was manageable as a student but allowed me to explore, expand, and apply my interests.
In addition to the Population Health Initiative, I also tutor middle and high school students after school. I primarily tutor writing, biology, and math. This job is great as a student because my schedule is extremely flexible. During sessions, I help students build on and cement their learning from class by reviewing school work with them and completing practice assignments. A large part of my role is also to help the students develop awareness of their strengths and effective learning strategies. This work has been extremely fulfilling as I find myself invested in the success of every student. To be an effective tutor, one must be attentive to the student’s needs and develop customized strategies to help them meet their goals. I spend much of the sessions asking about their personal goals and checking in with how they are feeling about the content and my delivery. Through this role, I have learned how to be a supportive leader and the value of developing strong relationships in a professional setting.
Finally, I was able to apply the skills I gained in these jobs in my internship last summer with Gallagher Benefit Services. In this internship, I learned about how employer provided healthcare and benefits are designed, maintained, and paid for. I was exposed to the cost of health benefits for individuals, health policy applications, and the complex politics of healthcare cost and coverage in the US. In addition, I refined my public speaking skills and worked on several health focused projects. This space was exciting to me because I realized that I am very motivated by mitigating the cost of healthcare for individuals while improving health outcomes. I also had the opportunity to build relationships that I can leverage in my career after graduation.
With each work opportunity, I feel that I have developed new skills and come away having learned more about our systems in addition to inching closer to finding what I want to pursue long term.
Study Abroad
Like making friends, studying abroad was an experience that felt nerve wracking and vulnerable, but ended up to be so fun. Being abroad helped me to fully engage and immerse myself in learning. Read about my time in Rome in my Experiential Learning Final Reflection below.
