It's been three years.

What have I learned?

Since beginning college, I have learned three lessons: First, do things you think you're not ready for. Second, seek out opportunities to connect. Third, fill your time but leave time for fulfillment.

I began university during the pandemic and resolved to find community in an environment where the opportunities to form connections seemed sparse. Student organizations stepped in to create these opportunities. I joined two committees that year, both of which focused on connecting to community and neither of which I felt particularly qualified for. These experiences built my confidence and showed me that I was capable. This was the first lesson. These committees connected me to further opportunities: my first leadership position, my first research experience, and my first job. I showed up, I built connections, and I found new opportunities. This was the second lesson. The third lesson I knew all along but only applied recently. By the end of my second year I had many things I still wanted to try and planned to do as much as possible in my third year. But once I started my third year, I realized that, even if I managed to fit everything into my schedule, I could not be fully engaged in so many things. This was the year I learned how to quit. I trimmed down my involvements to focus only on my priorities.

I still do not feel ready for everything that I begin, but I feel more comfortable with the uncertainty now. I still feel disconnected sometimes, but I have formed communities that ground me. I still tend to fragment my calendar with commitments, but I’ve learned how to recognize when I’m overwhelmed.

Over the process of revising my portfolio, I’ve recentered around these three lessons. I remembered the times I felt most fulfilled and happy, and I realized that these were when I was working outside and working with others. After I graduate, I hope to boldly pursue many more such opportunities.