Peer Advisor Bridget discusses the benefits of the UHP community.
A distinct image comes to my head when I think of college finals. You’re both anxious about the impending exams, papers, and projects, and excited for the well-deserved break and the chance to see friends and family. Perhaps the weather is finally chilly, or the summer heat is picking up. The semesterly student-faculty dinner offers a study break and the chance to laugh with old friends and professors over an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. Afterwards, you head back to the Townhouse for extended study hours and coffee, hot chocolate, and as many Trader Joe’s snacks as you can imagine.
It is hard to define “The Feeling” that I and other students get from the UHP community. However, I can say that one of the greatest things I’ve gotten out of my experience in the UHP thus far has been its strong sense of community and support. Whether it be the highly personal advising, the many events that involve lunch, or the small class sizes that foster strong professor-student relationships, the UHP community should be taken advantage of as much as possible.
Sometimes it feels like at GW, or any other large institution for that matter, you are just a number, or that your personal concerns and needs aren’t being taken care of well enough. The beauty of the GW UHP is not only the liberal arts focused curriculum, but also the sense of community that often comes from smaller institutions. In honors, we get the best of both worlds, where students can benefit from the resources that a large, research-based university like GW offers while also experiencing the tight-knight community.
Perhaps I am biased as a peer advisor, an upperclassman, and a UHP student-staff employee. However, if I had to offer any piece of advice to UHP students is to take advantage of the honors community. Go on hikes. Drink our coffee. Get to know your professors. Get into heated intellectual arguments over lunch (insert plug for the monthly Food for Thoughts). Utilize UHP alumni. Apply for a research assistantship position. Talk to your peer advisors beyond your mandatory meetings.
And finally, lean on this community for support. Entering college can feel like you’re setting off to tackle one of your life’s greatest challenges completely alone. Just know we are here for you!
