Who I was
The following statement was written in January of 2023, in my second semester of my undergraduate studies in my Introduction to Honors course (H200). At that time, I was working 30 hours a week, and taking 18 credit hours. I was in survival mode, and did not set aside time for self reflection, which is evident in my statement. I was much less confident, and was still trying to acclimate myself to life as a commuting college student. I agree with what I said in my statement, but I believe it is surface level compared to who I really was, and who I am today.
2023 I Am Statement
I value leadership, organization, and hard work. The keystone to my success is determination. Every struggle in my life I’ve overcome by putting my head down and pushing through. I am ambitious, flexible, and creative. I enjoy reading, art, music, and physical activity. I place a large emphasis on being the best possible version of my self that I can be.
A picture of me on campus in spring 2023
Who I am now
As I have progressed through my undergraduate education, I have become more confident in myself and my abilities. This sense of self-efficacy stems from the opportunities provided to me by the campus-- the internships, mentoring, and coursework has set me up for success. I have developed a communication style that is clear, professional, and kind, while remaining an active listener by taking in the information presented to me, evaluating it, and forming my views based on a diverse set of information. My experience as a mentor and as a student has taught me to think critically, collaborate with my fellow peers, and persevere through hard work. IUI has given me the opportunity to learn to balance school, work, and personal life in a way that I don’t believe I would be able to anywhere else. I am still taking a lot of credit hours, and am working the same amount, but I have been able to figure out how to not only exist, but thrive in this lifestyle.
My Journey |
Introduction
In H200, we were also tasked with creating a map of the journey we were planning to take throughout our undergraduate educations.
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As a freshman, I knew what I wanted to do for a career, which was to be a dentist. Because I knew what I wanted, I was able to begin planning my track early on. I used campus resources, as well as my own research, to create the best chances of getting into dental school.
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I met with my academic, honors, and pre-professional advisors, and figured out what classes I should take, and what experiences would be best for my development, and would make me a competitive applicant. I knew I would need to have an internship of some sort, and found the Life-Health Sciences internship. I knew I would need to shadow, and that I would need to find some way to demonstrate my manual dexterity. I learned about the dental admissions test, when I should take it, and how to best prepare for it.
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With all of this in mind, I created my proposed journey map.
My Journey |
Reflection
My journey did not vary much from my prospective plan. I believe this was due to my preparation and work I did early on in my undergraduate career. The major variance was my decision to take a gap year. As I was preparing for my DAT, I realized that I was nearing academic burnout, and needed a break. I decided that a gap year was necessary for both my mental and financial health.
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To fill my gap year, I am going to work as an orthodontist assistant at an orthodontist office in my home town, which will prepare me for dental school and allow me to save up money.