I have to admit, I think I haven’t changed much since last summer. I’m still the same person I was when I came in here, with the same personality, the same work ethic, the same aspirations, the same ridiculous sense of humor. The only major difference is that I’ve learned a whole lot. I’m better at studying, I’m better at prioritizing time, I know a lot of chemistry and a lot more about the brain than I thought I would by now. Coming in, I expected to have to treat college like a 40 hour work week and that HSS would be a way to make friends, network, volunteer, and build relationships. At this point I realize that I was right about college. Forty hours a week is sometimes not even enough, as my studies frequently take me into the weekend and demand most of what I thought would be free time. Sometimes I wish I had more time to hang out, play sports, and have fun, but then I remind myself why I’m here and that’s more than enough to keep myself focused and on task. I know what I want to do, and I know that the work I put in now will make the end result that much more worth it, because I’ll know that I deserve every bit of it. I wasn’t quite right about HSS. Thanks to the live and learn community on 3 Park, I’ve made some great friends who I hang out with on a daily basis. I also learned a few good lessons in the seminar first semester, such as how to construct a good resume and a few tips and tricks on stress management. HSS however has not quite been what I expected it to be regarding creating opportunities for academic growth or volunteering or networking. I had initially thought the organization would go out of the way to set up and organize these opportunities, and that those would make up the bulk of the HSS events and meetings; however, I have come to realize that HSS is a community and a resource, not a machine that hands out opportunities. If you want to gain something from HSS greater than the community building, it’s necessary to go out and get them yourself. HSS is a good resource to go through to help find opportunity, but it ultimately came down to being pragmatic and proactive that enabled me to accomplish the things I have this year, which I think is one of the core values of HSS and a fundamental skill to learn in college. For next year, I hope to continue the trajectory I’m on right now, and to grow my friend group, participate in more events than I was able to this semester, and seize more opportunities for academic and personal growth.
My most memorable service experiences have been with the Helping Hands Free Clinic on Morse Road. I go there once or twice a month to help tear down the clinic with a few other general body members of AED. Although the work is mundane and unexciting, we get to eat, socialize with the doctors and medical students, build relationships with the clinic administrators and the clinicians and pharmacists volunteering their time there, and it makes the job much more fun and it makes me looks forward to it each week I go. I have already formed a few strong relationships with some of the physicians and medical students. So what makes this my most memorable service work of the year is that I was able to fit in so smoothly and build the relationships I built. I’d like to continue to volunteer there next year and in the years to follow and continue to build the relationship I have with everyone who volunteers their time there.