Tag: reflection (page 1 of 2)

TBT: “Reflection Time” by Avery Beer

Today’s Tuesday post falls on the last day of class this semester. For many of us, this is the time of saying goodbye to professors and classmates and reflecting on the semester as a whole before we begin final exams. Please enjoy this Throwback post from Avery Beer about reflecting on our growth as students and people during our time at the University of Delaware.

In the midst of studying for finals and wrapping up the school year, it is natural that we ponder all that we have done and all that we have learned in the last few months: about ourselves, about the world around us, and everything in between. College is for just that: self-exploration, soul-searching, seeking out passions and taking full advantage of each opportunity that crosses our paths.

I came into college thinking I knew just about everything that I needed to know. Looking back, I was so naïve, so vulnerable, yet so eager that independence was now something I could own and do whatever I wanted with it. College is a weird thing because while we are so sheltered and so enclosed in our campus environment, we can truly do whatever we wish. I am so grateful that I proved to myself that there is so much to learn not only from a textbook, but through relationships and experiences that have entered my life. I realize now that college really is not just about what grade you earn on a paper or an exam. It’s about so much more. Of course your GPA matters, but I have to keep telling myself that as long as I am learning and as long as I am applying myself and coming out on the other side with something new, then I am fully taking advantage of what I have in front of me.

Sophomore year has been the year of taking things for what they are, for accepting what I cannot change, for embracing myself and all that I am, for exploration, for proving things to myself that I did not know to be possible, for realizing how much can change in a year, and for being so grateful for where I am at whatever moment, wherever that is.  

I truly feel like I know who I am this year. I have planted myself and have grown into my own being: I have solidified everything I know to be true about myself. I have matured—in my passions, in my relationships, and in my view of everything around me. Of course, there is always learning to be done, but that is what the rest of life is for.

I think it is important to realize that as we get older and life gets scarier, we cannot neglect all the good that comes out of it also. It is so easy to fall into the traps of absorbing the negativity of maturation, but there is so much to be said for all the good that comes out of it too. We should all strive to embrace the intricacy of everything, to take notice of each little thing around us, and acknowledge that all that we know is a work of art. There is so much negativity to scare us, but there is so much beauty if you let it get to you. If we didn’t have tragedies, if we didn’t have hardship, we would not be able to value the love and generosity that goes on each day. I had my moments of struggle freshman year of highschool, but I did not let it consume me to the point where I could not see past the clouds that were blocking the sunshine.

I am eternally grateful that I have found my home here in Delaware. I have found my home in the Honors Program, at the Writing Center, in Alpha Xi Delta. I have found my favorite study spots, my favorite sandwich from Perkins, my passions, and myself. And what is the beauty of it all? That there is so much more to discover.
Happy summer, Blue Hens!

“Finding Your Major(s) and Minor(s)” by Nadya Ellerhorst

Politely curious individual: “So what are you studying?”

Me: “Well, you see, it’s complicated…”

An excellent, tried-and-true icebreaker in a university setting is asking someone’s academic specialty. Not only does it help break awkward pauses – it’s a way to get to know someone and their interests and maybe learn something new yourself in the process.

For example, did you know that there’s an Insect Ecology and Conservation major? Fascinating!

I just always feel bad when I give a long answer to this one-line question.

I’m an International Relations and Russian Studies double-major with minors in Journalism and Museum Studies.

Yes, I sleep.

Yes, I will graduate on time.

And yes, I absolutely love it!

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“Reflecting on New Beginnings” by Shayna Demick

After passing through the official halfway point of the fall semester and start of a new month, it is all too easy to reflect on my recent experiences, in all aspects of college life. 

There are many new beginnings happening in my life right now. I recently moved into my first apartment and adopted my own emotional support cat. Her name is Rugelach; she is two years old and extremely snuggly. I am living with two of my friends on the UD figure skating team and it is wonderful. We have decorated our common space together and have truly made our house into a home. I have been beginning to embrace adulthood, whether that means cooking and shopping for myself, cat parenting, deep cleaning, or paying bills. These new beginnings have been both scary and rewarding. 

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“On Doing Things Alone” by Nadya Ellerhorst

As we approach the spring semester’s grand finale, with final RSO meetings and bouncy house-laden end-of-the-year events,  it’s really hard to feel alone, especially with everyone having the shared experiences of preparing for finals while trying to conclude things on a fun note.

I definitely consider myself the type of person who actively tries to make time to go to as many events on campus as possible throughout the year. Doing so is a great way to take a break from academics and to have memorable, enriching, potentially eye-opening experiences, be it at a theater performance or a guest lecture. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t appreciate the occasional freebie, either. Sometimes, however, attending such events solo can prove to be a challenge. 

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“The Yellow House on the Corner” by Grace Kearns

Going home at the end of my first semester was bittersweet. As I filled up my suitcase, I packed away the people, places, and routines that had become a part of my daily life. It would be seven weeks until I returned to them. Once I completed my last final, though, I beamed at the sight of my mom’s car pulled up to the lightly-frosted Green. Suddenly, all I could think of was curling up in my childhood bedroom, the endless holiday baking about to ensue, and a houseful of siblings coming from three different states. I was ready to go home. Continue reading

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