When I began college, I had no idea what I was doing—but I was hoping for freedom, new opportunities, and perhaps finding a sense of purpose. For the most part, I think I’d spent most of my past years letting myself be dragged along by external factors, whether that was the will of my parents or the structure of school and its expectations. Things were simple. Things were difficult only because I didn’t know anything worse. I lived in a present moment that felt ephemeral yet seemed to stretch on for ages and ages. It wasn’t until college that my sense of self began to crystallize. For the first time, I was living away from my parents, and I no longer had the friends and support system I had once taken for granted. Being forced to start anew made me uneasy, and I clung to the pieces of familiarity I still had with a subconscious desperation. But in a period of life where everyone was changing and moving forward, they were leaving me behind. I think it really brought to light how dependent I was on other people. I had to learn how to stand on my own. Not only that, but I had to learn who I was in the absence of others.

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Looking back on my overall journey, I believe it can be broken down into four main spheres of activity and growth. These are the areas in which I found myself changing, adapting, and learning the most, as well as the ones that I felt had the most meaningful legacies for my future. Much in the way my portfolio is organized with the categories of Courses, Career, Passions, and Social, these spheres are “expansion of knowledge,” “consolidation of my future path,” “exploration of interests,” and “navigation of interpersonal networks,” and they correspond to each portfolio category, respectively.

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For expansion of knowledge, my growth is likely the most clear and quantifiable. The reason I joined the Honors program in the first place was for the Honors courses. I loved interdisciplinary learning, and I yearned for an academic experience that went beyond the confines of traditional school subject divisions. Even my decision to pursue a B.A. instead of a B.S. was deliberate, so that I would have more space to delve into my two minors and try out new classes. Essentially every Honors class I’ve taken has been an incredible experience, and it’s made me feel so grateful that I decided to join this program. I’ve had the opportunity to explore topics I never would have considered before, gain new and unique perspectives, and engage with like-minded peers who had similar motivations. Especially as I’ve gotten to upper level classes, I’m truly seeing the academic and intellectual value of a college education. Where else would I get to learn about Rhetorical Genre Studies directly from a prominent expert in the field himself? Or about biotechnological advances from the Bioethics department’s very own Director of Research? The sheer scope and breadth of the knowledge I’ve attained over these four years astounds even myself, and yet there’s still so much more to learn.

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This has also benefited me greatly in the consolidation of my future path. Although my heart has been firmly set on a career in the medical field ever since I was young, I’ve changed my path so many times since coming to college. Initially, I wanted to be a nurse, then a PA, then a pharmacist, and finally a physician. Part of my journey was figuring out what I actually wanted out of my career and how to balance that with the expectations of the people around me. Additionally, as I’ve broadened my horizons in college, I’ve come to realize how crucial it is to have a well-informed, culturally-aware mindset, especially as an aspiring medical professional. It’s not enough to just have technical knowledge; as someone who will be working closely with people, it is of the utmost importance to be able to understand ethical, philosophical, and sociological issues as well. This is where my Bioethics minor has proved to be incredibly relevant and one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Taking Bioethics courses has filled in many necessary gaps in my knowledge, such as in regards to the history of eugenics, disability studies, racism in public health, biotechnology, and more. I’ve become more educated on important social, political, and historical topics, I’m able to speak with confidence on contentious matters, and I feel that I’ve gained a much more nuanced worldview.

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College has also given me the freedom to explore a wide range of interests, both familiar and unfamiliar. I learned more about who I was as a person, what kinds of things I liked, and how I functioned best. Through my courses, I got to branch out into linguistics and film studies. Through my extracurriculars, I was able to cultivate my love for writing. And through my social circle, I discovered how much I enjoyed hobbies like cooking and hiking. All of these things have circled back at one point or another to support me in a different endeavor further down the line. And as common as this story is, I’m sure, college was also the first time I found myself away from familiarity and my usual support system. I was thrust into a situation where I had to learn who I was in the absence of the people I had come to rely on. I had to learn to stand on my own. Interacting with others, forging new connections, and carefully cultivating an inner circle has occurred in conjunction with my journey of figuring out who I am as a person. The company I keep and the communities I am a part of make up a significant portion of that.