My first in-person, spring semester is already over, and I am still learning, or more like re-learning, how to navigate a college life that is not behind a computer screen. For so long, college consisted of sitting in my childhood bedroom, attending classes online, and having my dogs as my only study partners. It felt like I was very much on my own. Even with all the opportunities that UD had to offer online over the pandemic, it just did not feel the same as in-person school. I felt like I had to navigate this confusing time on my own, and as a pre-med student, that seemed so daunting.
However, this academic year, and more specifically this semester, we were back in-person, and I was able to see my peers face-to-face. I attended in-person classes and interacted with my professors more. All of this has helped me feel less alone on my academic journey; however, I do find myself struggling to break those habits that I formed over quarantine, like not asking for help and feeling the need to solve everything myself, which left me anxious and stressed. But this semester, I am learning how to ask for help, and I hope you can too.
Of the many things that are difficult in life, I believe that asking for help is among the most difficult. As Honors College students, it may sometimes feel like we need to have everything figured out and trek our career paths on our own. I have thought of asking for help as a sign of weakness, but truly, it is a sign of bravery. It shows that you are determined to reach your goals, and that you are not afraid to receive assistance with how to get where you want to go.
Honors offers so many great resources at our fingertips. There is so much support and guidance, and there are always great opportunities to get involved with Honors. It is only a matter of taking advantage of these resources and not being afraid to seek out advice from others. For me, want to take a gap year after graduation. I plan to focus on my love of languages and forming connections with people from other countries and cultures. Being a physician will require me to interact with so many different people, so I want to be able to learn how to connect with people from other countries before attending medical school. So, I plan to pursue a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Scholarship, a program that lets you travel to another country for a year and teach.
However, I cannot achieve all of this by myself. It is thanks to Honors that I can work towards my goals. This semester, I have been taking advantage of all that Honors has to offer: Fulbright advisement, opportunities through the weekly newsletter (this is how I got involved as an English as a Second Language tutor), and speaking with fellow Honors College peers and alumni who are there to help support me on my journey. I know that with their help, I can work towards achieving my goal of becoming a Fulbright recipient.
We are a community here to support each other. All I needed to do was reach out. And if you are struggling or need assistance too, it is never too late to ask for help. Honors is right there, and they are more than happy to guide students towards the path that is right for them. It is just a matter of taking that first step to ask. Sometimes this is the hardest part, but trust me, it is so worth it.
