As autumn quarter comes to an end, I have come to realize just how much I have

changed. There are little aspects of my personality, my career-oriented goals and my academic
expectations that have been altered for the better. Entering college, I was set on Molecular,
Cellular and Developmental Biology, however, after taking Psychology 101 and hearing about
Medical Anthropology and Physiology, I am not 100% certain MCD Biology is a major I want to
pursue. I have not completely crossed it off my list, but now I know that there are many other
possible majors and I still have time to figure out what exactly is the best fit for me. In addition,
studying abroad was something that was never on my mind for college. That wasn’t because I
don’t enjoy traveling, but it was because I just didn’t think I had the time to do so with my
rigorous premed track. After scheduling an appointment with Kim, I realized that studying
abroad could be done in a way that I could travel and help do service. I am looking into the
Zimbabwe Public Health Program, but also browsing at other health-related internships abroad.
Along with exploring my academic plans, I was not at all expecting the sheer amount of
diversity in Registered Student Organizations. The RSO fair was overwhelming, but gave me the
impression that there is just so much more to explore. I signed up for several clubs and have
found myself as a committee leader in MEDLife and a member of Alpha Eplison Delta. Both
clubs have introduced me to new aspects of medicine that I never really thought about. For
example, MEDLife made me think about the social determinants of healthcare not only in other
countries, but domestically. MEDLife has prompted me to question if cultural competence is
ever possible to achieve. Alpha Eplison Delta has given me mentorship and supporting in
becoming CPR certified, which is something I have always wanted to do.
My first quarter in the Honors Program has definitely exceeded my expectations. My
favorite event was the Global Challenge Panel which made me question the way in which we
live in our own echo chambers. And while the panel was all about stepping outside our echo
chambers, the panelists were very much talking in the perspective of their echo chambers. This
made me wonder if it is ever really possible to peacefully talk about civic discord between
human beings because we all have such different experiences and values that we very much
enjoy sticking to. Another significant activity I really enjoyed was evaluating our health and
wellness in our Honors sections. We discussed the different approaches we all took in taking care
of our emotional, mental and physical health. As I move into winter quarter, finals and harder
class are approaching. It is crucial for me to investigate good health and wellness practices that
will not hinder, but improve my academic performance. I plan on continuing to set aside time for
emotional recuperation with family and friends and finding time to explore, exercise and sleep!
Looking at my next four years at University of Washington, I want to achieve many feats.
This quarter, I stepped outside my comfort zone and put myself out there by applying for
undergraduate research as a freshman. It was intimidating not having much of the
“recommended” skills, but I went for it. I am happy to say now that I was accepted to the
Gottlieb’s lab to do research in HIV. I want to continue to step outside my comfort zone either
by starting a RSO or becoming an officer in one of the current RSOs. In terms of Honors, I want
to take intriguing Honors class that really emphasize interdisciplinary education because I want
to make those meaningful connections between my classes and the outside world.
In the short span of two months, I have gone to CLUE numerous of times. I have
accepted that needing help is not a sign of weakness, but determination to learn and fully
understand the subject. Additionally, I have accepted the fact that change is inevitable. I am
ready for any kind of change to occur because I know that with change comes opportunities and
opportunities will always lead you to something unexpectedly good.