Here we are just you and me on the final page of my freshman year. I can't believe that my freshman year of college is already over. Like any freshman this last year was full of change and new opportunities. After this past year I can now say with certainty that I had the right choice with UC and the honors program. I went on an amazing trip, got real life experience, met new people, and took great classes.
Out of everything that happened to me in the past year it is hard to pick a top three of sorts. One event that has an undisputed place in my top three would have to be the Culture of Books and Reading class and its study tour to Scotland. We read amazing books that made me think differently about how we as a culture approach reading and books. I wrote some of the weirdest papers that I have ever written and made some good friends. And of course the trip to Scotland over spring brake was amazing. Scotland is a beautiful country and I loved every minute of the trip (even the 6 hour plane ride). I had traveled internationally before this trip but something this trip was different. Maybe it was the fact that it was a school trip or maybe the fact that I did it on my own. Obviously I wasn't actually alone there were other students, our wonderful professor Kevin, and Robin but for the first time I wasn't traveling with a family member and I loved it!
Coming in at second place would have to be my participation in the Biomedical Research Mentoring Program. Now this experience as its own tab (as does my Scotland trip) so I am not going to go into details about the program itself but more about what this program meant to me. In high school I had a good GPA but in my high school it wasn't fantastic. I was kind of stuck between being good but not good enough. So when I heard about this program I was apprehensive about applying. I had applied for highly competitive programs in the past and I was never admitted to these programs. I applied for the Biomedical Research Mentoring Program mostly because it couldn't hurt to apply and research looks really good for medical school. I interviewed with every lab that I applied to and then I didn't hear anything for weeks until suddenly I got a rejection email. Then a week or so passed and I was offered I position in the lab that I would come to work in. Even though the experience I had in my lab was not what I wanted it to be this experience was still a major confidence boost for me. This was a competitive program that I as a freshman got into. Completing this experience will give me the confidence to apply for more competitive programs in the future.
Finally in third place would be my involvement in Knit for the Needy. I have knitted for a while now but never for such I great cause. Knit for the Needy knits scarves and hats for the homeless. I originally joined Knit for the Needy because I needed to fill my service hours however the more I went I more I got in to the message and mission of Knit for the Needy. Knitting for an hour or so every week also gave me a productive outlet for stress. Instead of watching TV or doing something brainless that helps no one I could watch TV and knit giving me a couple of hours to relax for schoolwork and benefiting someone besides me in the long run. I also made some great friends though this club (a couple who ended up in my Scotland seminar).
Since coming to UC I have grown most personally. I have always been a good and hardworking student but once I got to college I seemed to go a little crazy. I was studying extreme amounts for test on material that I knew very well. Even worse I was neglecting others things in favor of schoolwork that wasn't due for a week. These habits aren't bad per se however I was taking it to an extreme.
I had to learn that having free time is not a bad thing. I can have some time to myself without having to do something productive in that time. This was a hard lesson for me to learn and I am still learning however I am much better than I use to be.
Looking to the future I am excited and hopeful for what I will accomplish next. Next year means foreign language and organic chem for bio majors so academically I have a full plate but I am looking forward to conquering Ochem. Because there is nothing to fear besides fear its self. Since I enjoyed my trip to Scotland so much I have decided to apply for another study tour for next spring. I haven't decided what class right now but I am torn between Hawaii and Paris leaning more toward Paris. Next year I plan on being more outgoing and having fun (trying to apply my free time is an OK thing policy), while still balancing my schoolwork and having experiences that make my parents jealous. Because what's the point of being alive if you don't try to do something remarkable.
Until the Fall,
Megan Dunlevy
Out of everything that happened to me in the past year it is hard to pick a top three of sorts. One event that has an undisputed place in my top three would have to be the Culture of Books and Reading class and its study tour to Scotland. We read amazing books that made me think differently about how we as a culture approach reading and books. I wrote some of the weirdest papers that I have ever written and made some good friends. And of course the trip to Scotland over spring brake was amazing. Scotland is a beautiful country and I loved every minute of the trip (even the 6 hour plane ride). I had traveled internationally before this trip but something this trip was different. Maybe it was the fact that it was a school trip or maybe the fact that I did it on my own. Obviously I wasn't actually alone there were other students, our wonderful professor Kevin, and Robin but for the first time I wasn't traveling with a family member and I loved it!
Coming in at second place would have to be my participation in the Biomedical Research Mentoring Program. Now this experience as its own tab (as does my Scotland trip) so I am not going to go into details about the program itself but more about what this program meant to me. In high school I had a good GPA but in my high school it wasn't fantastic. I was kind of stuck between being good but not good enough. So when I heard about this program I was apprehensive about applying. I had applied for highly competitive programs in the past and I was never admitted to these programs. I applied for the Biomedical Research Mentoring Program mostly because it couldn't hurt to apply and research looks really good for medical school. I interviewed with every lab that I applied to and then I didn't hear anything for weeks until suddenly I got a rejection email. Then a week or so passed and I was offered I position in the lab that I would come to work in. Even though the experience I had in my lab was not what I wanted it to be this experience was still a major confidence boost for me. This was a competitive program that I as a freshman got into. Completing this experience will give me the confidence to apply for more competitive programs in the future.
Finally in third place would be my involvement in Knit for the Needy. I have knitted for a while now but never for such I great cause. Knit for the Needy knits scarves and hats for the homeless. I originally joined Knit for the Needy because I needed to fill my service hours however the more I went I more I got in to the message and mission of Knit for the Needy. Knitting for an hour or so every week also gave me a productive outlet for stress. Instead of watching TV or doing something brainless that helps no one I could watch TV and knit giving me a couple of hours to relax for schoolwork and benefiting someone besides me in the long run. I also made some great friends though this club (a couple who ended up in my Scotland seminar).
Since coming to UC I have grown most personally. I have always been a good and hardworking student but once I got to college I seemed to go a little crazy. I was studying extreme amounts for test on material that I knew very well. Even worse I was neglecting others things in favor of schoolwork that wasn't due for a week. These habits aren't bad per se however I was taking it to an extreme.
I had to learn that having free time is not a bad thing. I can have some time to myself without having to do something productive in that time. This was a hard lesson for me to learn and I am still learning however I am much better than I use to be.
Looking to the future I am excited and hopeful for what I will accomplish next. Next year means foreign language and organic chem for bio majors so academically I have a full plate but I am looking forward to conquering Ochem. Because there is nothing to fear besides fear its self. Since I enjoyed my trip to Scotland so much I have decided to apply for another study tour for next spring. I haven't decided what class right now but I am torn between Hawaii and Paris leaning more toward Paris. Next year I plan on being more outgoing and having fun (trying to apply my free time is an OK thing policy), while still balancing my schoolwork and having experiences that make my parents jealous. Because what's the point of being alive if you don't try to do something remarkable.
Until the Fall,
Megan Dunlevy