WHAT I'VE DONE

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?

1. Being a Junior Advisor was a level of leadership that I had not previously been exposed to. What I associate most with this position is the hard-earned assertiveness and confidence that I have accumulated. The skills that I had previously begun cultivating (such as empathy, active listening, guided mentorship, and organization) only improved with these added responsibilities. However, I also learned how to not be such a people pleaser. To be a good JA, it was often necessary that I make decisions that the SAs didn’t agree with. I learned how to do that. I also learned how to handle having people upset at me, and where to set the boundaries of responsibility. I learned what is my responsibility, and what simply isn’t. These are life skills that will serve me well for whatever I end up doing next, and I’m so grateful to have learned them.

2. For reasons mentioned in last year’s evaluation, I quit spending my time in places that did not give me ample rejuvenation.

3. However, l became involved in Alpha Psi Omega, the theatre fraternity, and was inducted this year. I participated in as many productions as I was able to while living off campus.

4. I formally added a philosophy major to my degree, making me a Biology and Philosophy double major with a minor in Anthropology. I could not be happier with this decision. My philosophy courses are what give my life context and meaning, and they expand my mind in ways that other disciplines can’t quite accomplish. I am excited to continue my study in this area.

5. I conquered severe mental health issues that were exacerbated during the pandemic. Till that point I had not fully accepted that I struggled with certain things (such as anxiety and depression) and felt that if I managed to power through them, my issues would eventually go away. However, I learned the hard way that only tremendous hard work and a lot of serendipitous help can help resolve issues of this nature. I began the long and arduous process of helping myself became a healthy and whole person. To date, this is (and continues to be) my biggest accomplishment. This one facet of myself colors almost all parts of my life. It has made me look at my life and the world differently, and on the other side of it, I feel a love for all people and creatures that I did not know I had the capacity to hold.

6. Because of aforementioned events, and longstanding doubts about where my talents and skills would be best utilized, I began seriously searching for alternative careers (alternative to allopathic medicine). Currently, I am considering counseling or psychology as a field where I may be able to contribute, but that is just one field amongst many that are in consideration.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

Again, I am unsure of what the future holds. However, I have figured a few things out. I know that whatever I pursue a career in, I must love passionately. If I don’t feel that I am contributing to the world in a way that feels natural to me, my existence will feel incomplete. Having a career that I love is very important to me and I don’t mind taking a few years while I am young to figure it out. I have also realized that the best way to do this is to just do things I am interested in until something naturally unfolds. Up until now, I have been putting so much pressure on myself to do things in a particular way and do things in a timely way. This pressure in unfounded and profoundly unhelpful. Regardless of what other people feel or think, it is my life and I am going to live it in a way that aligns with my values and my interests. And it’s going to go according to my timeline.