#HonorsProblems: Making Your Mark in the Big City

The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Linnea, a sophomore in the business school studying business administration.
Growing up in a small town my whole life, I came to grow very comfortable with the consistency of every day. However, as I grew older I came to desire something more than this predictability. I wanted to expand my friend group to beyond the people I had known since kindergarten, explore new restaurants beyond just the three in my hometown, and experience living in a place that didn’t completely shut down at 8 pm every night. When I toured GW I knew that D.C. would be the city where all these hopes could be made a reality.
Flash forward to the beginning of my freshman year and living in D.C. was everything I had ever hoped it would be……..until it wasn’t. Coming from a small town I had always felt like a big fish in a small pond. However, coming to GW made me feel like just the opposite. While I saw people with incredible internships, huge leadership roles in student orgs, and stellar GPAs, I felt insignificant. In high school I was comfortable–comfortable with my classes, friend group, teachers, hobbies, and just about everything else. The comfort in the consistency gave me a sense of confidence that I had come to take for granted. Leaving this familiarity for GW stripped this confidence from me, leaving me confused and overwhelmed.
However, as time went on my freshman year, I came to appreciate being the small fish in the big pond. Though I may not have had big leadership positions or amazing internships yet, I realized that the opportunities that D.C. (the “big pond” in this metaphor, if you will) was able to provide me for such goals were endless.
Looking back, I had grown complacent living in my small town. Moving to the city has challenged me in ways that I could never have experienced at a school other than GW. I’ve set high goals for myself in all my endeavors and I feel nothing but inspired living in a city full of such motivated, hardworking individuals (many of which happen to be in the honors program!!).
Living in D.C. has taught me that leaving your mark on the city doesn’t necessarily come from outstanding accomplishments or impressive positions, but rather the drive and determination that make our community so dynamic. So, enjoy the ride and don’t stress too much–with a strong sense of motivation, success will follow.