Retrospective Reflection
Throughout my undergraduate years, I have completely changed as a person. Coming into my freshman year, I thought I had an exact plan that would guarantee myself success in the future. I chose to major in neuroscience, which I would never have changed to this day, and I was planning on applying to medical school. I was a part of the women’s soccer team at IUPUI at the time and was making friends that would turn out to make indescribable impacts on my life. I soon realized that my chosen career path was not exactly what I was passionate about. I developed a passion for wanting to help others through volunteering at Riley Children’s Hospital, but didn’t quite want to pursue being a doctor. I decided to branch out and take a risk by shadowing my general dentist, finally admitting to myself that it's okay to be unsure of your future. I ended up falling in love with the profession after seeing the lifestyle and the impact that my dentist had on the lives of her patients.
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I can confidently say that through the ups and downs of my college experience, I would not have gotten to where I am today without the constant support of the Honors College. Through different coursework as well as honors contracts I’ve completed, I found myself developing skills that will benefit me in my future endeavors. In H200 as a junior, I started to really find myself through the activities we did in class; I honestly had never considered creating a road map of what I wanted my future to look like, and that opportunity really inspired me and got me excited about my life. I improved my speaking skills through presentations I made which can be seen in Artifact 2 on my E-portfolio, as well as my researching abilities through many other honors contracts. These extra projects I completed helped challenge me intellectually, which is one of the primary goals of the honors program. I am grateful I had the chance to research something of my interest in a very detailed manner. An example of this would be the research paper I wrote on Alzheimer’s disease for my honors contract in Human Anatomy. This college provides countless ways to develop your knowledge at your leisure and provides flexibility in how you can do that.
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Beyond developing my research skills and diving into my curiosities, the honors college has also been key to pushing me beyond my comfort zone. I am currently taking a jewelry and metalsmithing class to improve my manual dexterity in preparation for dental school. I decided to complete an honors contract for this class, which is not something I would typically choose. I tend to lean more towards writing papers because that’s when I feel most in my element. I am so glad I had the opportunity to complete an additional project in my class because I am learning so much more than expected! I have grown immensely in my hand-eye coordination with the detailed demands of this class. Pushing myself to do things that are at first glance not the most appealing to me has been something I’ve grown into during my time in undergrad and specifically over the past two years as a member of the honors college.
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My perspective on both life and education has been sharpened and slightly altered over the past four years. Initially I was always scared of failure; the term failing always meant to me that there was no way to succeed. Upon going through trials and tribulations during my undergraduate career, I learned that failure is the first step to growth. Constant success likely means that we are not being challenged in the ways that we can handle. Failure goes hand-in-hand with success, and we cannot truly feel the greatness of success unless we have experienced failure. I have also learned a lot about patience through my experiences in college. A quote I always look towards when I am overwhelmed with worry is from William Penn: “Patience and diligence, like faith, removes mountains”. I have grown so much in the way I handle situations in my life. I had unfortunate circumstances during my soccer career in college that kept me from playing during both my junior and most of my senior year. Stepping away from something I love so much on the field was a wake-up call for me; I knew I needed to make a difference towards the team and I had to adapt to new methods of doing so that did not involve the playing part. I had to be patient and wait for healing, which was difficult as someone who is always on the go and needs something to do. Looking back on it, I am so glad I got to go through those trials that helped me become a more patient person and adapt to my circumstances. These are characteristics that I hold dear to my heart and I know will serve me all my life.
My character and drive has remained the same throughout college. I have always been a motivated individual and have a competitive nature instilled in me from playing sports all my life, and partially from having an older brother. As I emerge from undergrad and make the transition to professional school, I am thankful for this trait as it will continue to push me to better myself for the rest of my life. I tend to never be content with my current situation, always seeking improvement, which can occasionally be a hindering factor in my life when it comes to relaxing. I am still learning, and will continue to grow as a person during the rest of my time at IU Indy and into my graduate schooling!