STEP Post-Project Reflection
My STEP Signature Project involved attending a conference held in Chicago by the Midwestern Psychological Association. I participated in a poster presentation session for undergraduates, creating a display showing the results of our study regarding narcissism and romantic attraction, as well as attending several symposiums and other presentations of research within the psychological domain.
Attending my first conference in my field was a very impactful experience for me. My advisor was unable to attend the conference with us, so my partner and I had to navigate the conference ourselves, as well as public transportation, our hotel, and any unexpected events. This was a trip with many firsts for me: booking a hotel, taking a train, navigating an airport, walking through the streets of a large city, and presenting to other professionals in my field. I gained a lot of confidence in myself from being able to do these fairly mature, “adult” activities on my own and by being able to go through the process of budgeting and spending significant amounts of money. I have always had anxiety surrounding finances, so this experience took some of that concern away and made me feel safer spending money. I gained confidence in my presentation skills and my knowledge of psychological principles because I was able to act as the most knowledgeable person regarding the content of our study.
The experience of attending the conference began with getting to the airport, which was completely unfamiliar to me. I drove to Columbus and found parking, took the shuttle, and got through TSA, which was potentially the worst part of the entire trip. The airport was large and busy, and despite my research into requirements and regulations regarding luggage and procedure, there were still aspects of the airport that I could not prepare for, especially because we were bringing our poster in a tube, which is not exactly a standard piece of luggage that could be easily classified as a carryon. We ended up getting creative with packing a laptop bag inside of a suitcase, and our flight continued with no additional drama. From the Chicago airport we figured out how to get to our hotel via train, which I had never experienced before. I did not know how to read a map of train routes, what kind of ticket to buy, or what social expectations are on the “L” train, but I was able to get through these obstacles smoothly and got to the hotel without any major mishaps. As an individual with anxiety, all of these new processes and places were very overwhelming to me, but I was proud of myself for being able to manage my emotions and calmly and reasonably get through the transportation aspect of the trip, which made the return trip much easier and a bit more fun.
The conference itself was not quite what I had expected. I knew that there would be representatives from graduate schools as well as professionals and undergraduates from other colleges, but I had no idea how the conference itself would be set up nor how we would have the chance to interact with individuals from other colleges in our desired field. The first day was a steep learning curve and it was not my favorite experience, as we were confused and exhausted from our travels the day before, so we ended up in several symposiums that we had very little interest in. After reconvening that evening, we returned the next day with a more solid plan and more familiarity with the itinerary. I was adamant about networking while we were there, so I found several seminars regarding political psychology that had presenters in fields that were of interest to me. One particular presenter who was speaking on police violence in regards to level of experience mentioned that her research assistants were present in the audience, which I viewed as an excellent opportunity. I approached the four research assistants and began a conversation about their undergraduate experience and research, and they were all very encouraging and interested in diverse areas of psychology. I received contact information for both the assistants as well as the presenter, and we met at the social hour in the evening to continue conversation. I was very proud of myself for taking the initiative to approach people that I did not know and create connections with professionals in my field.
The entire process of planning for and attending the conference in Chicago was stressful and new for me. Jumping through hoops to get funding and make reservations was difficult and I was relieved to be done with the process. Going through everything with my research partner and my advisor was a great learning and bonding experience for all of us. I was able to face a lot of my anxieties in a productive way, as well as get through a lot of frustration with the support of those around me. I learned to trust others in the sense that they have my best interests in mind, and I don’t have to be on my own for everything that I do. I learned that I am more capable than I thought I was, and I have a greater sense of confidence than I did before.
Everything that I learned from this experience can be applied to my future endeavors. The confidence that I gained from doing things that I never have before has given me the opportunity to expand my horizons in ways that I might not have thought possible. While I am still working on many aspects of myself, this opportunity has taught me not only about myself, but also about important aspects of everyday adult living, like commuting, budgeting, and planning. I have more faith in my ability to function on my own and I don’t feel as much of a need to be entirely independent as I did before. Learning to trust others and rely on their support is an important aspect of community and personal growth, and I am pleased that I was able to learn as much as I did and explore my boundaries in an exciting and personal way. With everything that I learned from this experience, I will be able to continue in my education and career with more passion and commitment for what I do and who I am.
