Year in Review
My first year at the University of Cincinnati has been an incredibly dynamic and eye-opening experience. Three experiences that shaped me the most over this past year are living on my own, becoming a part of the International Dance Team, and improving my learning and studying skills.
1. Living on my own was something that I had never done prior to moving in, and so that was probably the most stressful and, at the same time, exciting experiences for me. It all came down to figuring out daily routines, techniques for getting work done, and even being more organized so that I could survive without having to call my mom for help every few hours (not exaggerating that at all). And long story short, I believe that my choice to live on campus was an extremely good one because it taught me to be independent in a sense that I have never encountered before. This was a whole world away from staying home alone or being able to drive places on my own. Living on my own meant cleaning, cooking, washing clothes, buying groceries - the whole shebang - by myself. My reasoning behind giving importance to this experience is fairly apparent - I will have to go out into the world by myself and live independently eventually. But aside from the obvious, I believe that by taking advantage of this opportunity so early on, I will be able to use these lessons when it comes to other things such as group projects and campus organizations.
2. UC Dhadak International Dance Team has taught me so much more than just a variety of dance styles. For starters, the intensive (and odd) hours of practice taught me not to procrastinate and to better schedule my time. I have become significantly better at budgeting my time wisely and getting work done in a timely order. This is a habit that has also helped me with my classes. The number of group projects and independent assignments increased greatly from high school to college - and being forced to budget my time helped me keep everything in line. Another advantage to being part of such a competitive team is getting a good amount of exercise just by doing what I love. Being physically active for hours every day also encouraged me to start eating healthier and taking better care of my health.
3. Improving my learning and studying skills was a goal that I came to UC with. Procrastination had always been a weakness of mine, whether it was on purpose or I was just unorganized and forgot about deadlines. But with a increasing number of long-term projects, I had to learn to spread out my work and get things done earlier just in case something went wrong. Although I sometimes still struggle with getting things done on time, I have generally become significantly better about finishing my work early on. I have always admired those people who have enough self control to force themselves to be more disciplined, and I hope to further improve on this skill as I continue my education at the University of Cincinnati.
The most impactful activity in HNRS1010 for me was when we evaluated the different types of leadership. I don't necessarily consider myself a strong leader yet, especially for large groups, but becoming one is a goal of mine. After some of the activities we conducted in class, I came to the realization that leadership does not only differ from person to person, but also between different situations and activities. It is important for a leader to not just dictate to his or her group, but to analyze the group dynamic and understand how to play off of each member's strengths. This understanding of leadership will really help me to excel this year, as I am a co-captain of UC Dhadak International Dance Team. I hope to become an effective leader - someone who everyone can relate to, but is still treated with respect and therefore able to make a significant difference in the way the organization is run.
Going into my second year at the University of Cincinnati, I would just like to remind myself to consciously take a step back every once in a while and evaluate myself as a person and leader. I believe that sometimes we get so caught up in whatever we are trying to accomplish that we lose sight of how we are acting and affecting those around us. I want to be aware of my every action and make sure that everything I do and say is purposeful. To make the most of the opportunities presented to me by the University of Cincinnati and the Honors College, I would also like to take advantage of the study abroad programs. I strongly believe that a foreign experience provides students with lessons that are otherwise near impossible to find; regardless of what the program consists of. I want to broaden my horizons and explore other cultures and become more aware of my surroundings.
I truly think that by doing this I will come closer to reaching my personal and professional goals.
1. Living on my own was something that I had never done prior to moving in, and so that was probably the most stressful and, at the same time, exciting experiences for me. It all came down to figuring out daily routines, techniques for getting work done, and even being more organized so that I could survive without having to call my mom for help every few hours (not exaggerating that at all). And long story short, I believe that my choice to live on campus was an extremely good one because it taught me to be independent in a sense that I have never encountered before. This was a whole world away from staying home alone or being able to drive places on my own. Living on my own meant cleaning, cooking, washing clothes, buying groceries - the whole shebang - by myself. My reasoning behind giving importance to this experience is fairly apparent - I will have to go out into the world by myself and live independently eventually. But aside from the obvious, I believe that by taking advantage of this opportunity so early on, I will be able to use these lessons when it comes to other things such as group projects and campus organizations.
2. UC Dhadak International Dance Team has taught me so much more than just a variety of dance styles. For starters, the intensive (and odd) hours of practice taught me not to procrastinate and to better schedule my time. I have become significantly better at budgeting my time wisely and getting work done in a timely order. This is a habit that has also helped me with my classes. The number of group projects and independent assignments increased greatly from high school to college - and being forced to budget my time helped me keep everything in line. Another advantage to being part of such a competitive team is getting a good amount of exercise just by doing what I love. Being physically active for hours every day also encouraged me to start eating healthier and taking better care of my health.
3. Improving my learning and studying skills was a goal that I came to UC with. Procrastination had always been a weakness of mine, whether it was on purpose or I was just unorganized and forgot about deadlines. But with a increasing number of long-term projects, I had to learn to spread out my work and get things done earlier just in case something went wrong. Although I sometimes still struggle with getting things done on time, I have generally become significantly better about finishing my work early on. I have always admired those people who have enough self control to force themselves to be more disciplined, and I hope to further improve on this skill as I continue my education at the University of Cincinnati.
The most impactful activity in HNRS1010 for me was when we evaluated the different types of leadership. I don't necessarily consider myself a strong leader yet, especially for large groups, but becoming one is a goal of mine. After some of the activities we conducted in class, I came to the realization that leadership does not only differ from person to person, but also between different situations and activities. It is important for a leader to not just dictate to his or her group, but to analyze the group dynamic and understand how to play off of each member's strengths. This understanding of leadership will really help me to excel this year, as I am a co-captain of UC Dhadak International Dance Team. I hope to become an effective leader - someone who everyone can relate to, but is still treated with respect and therefore able to make a significant difference in the way the organization is run.
Going into my second year at the University of Cincinnati, I would just like to remind myself to consciously take a step back every once in a while and evaluate myself as a person and leader. I believe that sometimes we get so caught up in whatever we are trying to accomplish that we lose sight of how we are acting and affecting those around us. I want to be aware of my every action and make sure that everything I do and say is purposeful. To make the most of the opportunities presented to me by the University of Cincinnati and the Honors College, I would also like to take advantage of the study abroad programs. I strongly believe that a foreign experience provides students with lessons that are otherwise near impossible to find; regardless of what the program consists of. I want to broaden my horizons and explore other cultures and become more aware of my surroundings.
I truly think that by doing this I will come closer to reaching my personal and professional goals.