The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Mark, an SMPA junior studying political communication.
It was a bristling cold afternoon on February 10th, 2017, and I was coming out of the Honors townhouse after having a paper I had written torn apart by a professor I was meeting with (with good reason, I might add). I had known that an email from the GW Center for Student Engagement would be coming at some point that day with Resident Advisor (RA) decisions, but I had no idea when it would be. After biting my nails all day, the email finally dropped at 4:57 p.m. I was selected as an RA and would be placed in the Honors community in West Hall. When I read it, I was standing right outside the townhouse in between the two benches. My shivering self-leaped for joy. Unfortunately, that was the same night that I contracted bronchitis and had to go to the hospital, so it was a largely difficult day spotted with an incredibly happy moment.
I was certainly looking forward to being an RA for Honors, but I never expected it to be quite as amazing as it was. I had the most kind and engaged residents anyone could have ever asked for. I got to have deep conversations, hear corny jokes, engage in funny hallway conversations, be a romantic matchmaker, feed people, and help people figure out their schedules and their lives. I was probably better at helping my residents figure out their problems than I was at figuring out my own, but don’t tell anybody that.
I was so proud of the people I watched my residents grow into over the course of the year. I saw them learn profound truths about themselves, learn how to be in relationships with others, and take steps to advance confidently in the direction of my dreams. I was especially proud of the five of my residents who became RAs this year and are making a positive impact on their communities. I also had the greatest team in the world, between my amazing floor partner Kate Jones, my outstanding faculty-in-residence Mark Ralkowski and residence hall dog Lola, and the rest of the RAs on the Mount Vernon team.
I remember my time as an RA for Honors students as a time where I learned what a strong and empowering community really looked like. I remember the amazing surprise party that Kate and the residents threw for me in the West Hall Common Room on my 20th birthday. I remember the spontaneous cooking events my residents would hold in our kitchen and the pizza and taco events we would have in the hall. Like any community, it wasn’t always perfect… people went through issues and we had to work out some problems. But ultimately, I am so grateful to have lived in a place where love took me in, and where I learned as much from my residents as they did from me.
Applications to be a Resident Advisor for the 2019-2020 academic year are due Thursday, November 15th. Learn more here.
Author: UHP Peers
#HonorsProblems: Finding a Place for Yourself
The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Mary, a CCAS sophomore studying archaeology and biological anthropology.
It can be difficult to try to find your place in the big city. Unlike many of my peers at GW I do not wish to work in politics in the future. In a city where everything seems to revolve around politics, one can sometimes forget the vast number of museums and research institutions located here as well. The Smithsonian Institution is one of the largest museums and research institutions in the world. With several individual museums within it. I decided to volunteer at the Natural History Museum in the most recent spring semester. As an archaeology and biological anthropology major, I see myself destined for a museum or a job in academia. But at the museum I am just a volunteer, I do not get paid nor do I receive credit for an internship. But, instead, I do something for myself.
It has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I help people from all over the world find their way around the museum. Several times I have be able to use the Spanish I learned in high school (which I never thought I would do). I meet interesting people, who have interesting stories to tell. Most of my fellow volunteers are retired middle and high school science teachers and it’s very cool to hear about their relationship with the museum. I had never considered how much of an impact a single place can have on a person until I started volunteering here.
Volunteering at the Natural History Museum reminds me of where I live. While we all live in DC for at least the four years of undergrad, it can be easy to forget that most people only come to DC one time in their entire lives. This is a destination for many US citizens and foreign visitors alike. It is my job to help them make that experience as memorable as possible. As related to me during training, the volunteers of the Smithsonian are the people that visitors have the most interaction with. We are the face of the Smithsonian that most of the 7 million people remember. And as one of the most visited museums in the world, it is important that we are professional and welcoming.
I would encourage everyone to find their place in DC and at GW. My place where I can escape all the stress related to school is at the information desk next to Henry the elephant at the Natural History Museum.
#HonorsProblems: Social Scientists Unite!
The following blog post was written by peer advisor Anna, a CCAS junior studying psychology and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies.
Wanting to be a “social scientist” can often feel like shouting into the void. People will tell you to take certain classes, publish, make posters, do research, etc. but there are endless possibilities as to where you can “end up.” We tend to get a bit lost in the vastness of CCAS, and I’ll admit, I’m still pretty uncertain about what I want to do. Still, I’ve found the most rewarding experiences to be connecting with others who are on similar paths both in and outside class
This past summer, I worked at the REACH lab (Resilience Emerging Amidst Childhood Hardships) at the University of Memphis. Among the mix of Masters and PhD students, the lab was continually working on 5 different studies, and two conferences happened in the three months I was there. Besides getting more experience with SPSS and Qualtrics (groan) and conducting interviews with participants, the very best part of this lab experience was being surrounded by people who have similar interest and goals. Though I had a “home field advantage” of sorts, I still went in not knowing anyone and feeling unexperienced as an undergrad. The graduate students were constantly working on papers, poster presentations, conducting interviews, and consolidating data. Despite all the chaos, I worked to get to know each of them individually and gained real-world insight on what Psych research can look like. Most importantly, they were able to answer all of my endless questions about applying to grad school, working towards a degree, and beyond – which, by the way, I realized takes around 6 years (if you don’t take a break between undergrad and grad school). Ha ha.
Looking back, the lab was everything I needed it to be. I gained skills, worked with awesome women who all have different career goals (ranging from owning their own practice to starting a non-profit grief center), and can finally answer YES when I’m asked if I have previous research experience. I also have more realistic, grounded expectations for post-grad.
For future social scientists especially, pursue research when it comes up (and ask for research experience if it doesn’t appear conveniently). Find people on similar paths in your classes and outside GW; get to know them, ask questions. Demystifying graduate school and embracing the endless career paths/options/goals of social science will help make your undergrad experience an exciting stepping stone rather than a shout into the void.
#HonorsProblems: How to Study Abroad Without Going into Anaphylactic Shock
The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Ryan, a junior studying English, creative writing, and linguistics.
My name’s Ryan. This is me, perched with aquiline grace upon a rock on the Pacific coast of Chile as I naturalistically sip on a crisp, refreshing Coca-Cola. Beneath my prolific brand influencer appearance, though, you might be surprised (or, if you’ve spent a lot of time with me, entirely unsurprised) to know that I sometimes have trouble figuring out what’s the best path for me.
Now, hold on, I see you getting ready to fling your laptop across the room, enraged that you’re being engaged in a philosophical discussion. But stick with me! My story doesn’t have any Plato, Lao Tzu, or Lola Ralkowski—but it may still be a good example of how you, as a uniquely wonderful Honors student, can choose the path that’s uniquely you.
Like I said, I sometimes have trouble figuring out my way, especially when it comes to separating what’s best for other people from what’s best for me. In the case of this story, my indecision manifested as a battle between two forces: the desire to study abroad, and my, shall we say, temperamental relationship with milk products. Although I have many, many eccentricities (you can ask Mary and Ben), one of my most iconic is my anaphylactic dairy allergy. Eating it in any form, from butter to cheese to chocolate, can potentially send me to the hospital. Cool, huh? Typically, I don’t have big issues with it, but when it came time for me to consider studying abroad, I thought about it a lot.
What would I do in another country for four months? My caution and general allergy paranoia meant that I didn’t feel very comfortable eating local food, but I certainly couldn’t eat dairy free chips and granola bars for that much time. But still, I felt pressured to do that anyway—pressured by the looming judgmental voice saying that studying abroad for a whole semester is what everyone does. What was I, a fragile loaf of bread in the oven of life, to do?
Then, like a clarion call from the highest Heavens, the idea came to me:
(Actually, it was from another UHP student who I sat with in Math & Politics. Don’t let anyone tell you that G-PAC requirements won’t help you in life.)
Summer Study Abroad.
That’s how, after sophomore year ended, I spent the first month of the summer in Valparaiso, Chile, somewhere I’d wanted to visit since I was 15 (as I said, I’m a slightly weird person). Even though the food selection in Chile was, well, slim for me (butter is actually one of three major food groups in Chile, along with bread and instant coffee), I only had to manage that for a month, instead of four, and I got a hugely valuable experience out of it.
Now, what’s the lesson here? Am I saying that everyone should have the exact same study abroad experience that I did? Not really. There were plenty of ups and downs for me, and it doesn’t fit everybody: some people would do better in a different country; others would want to stay a longer or shorter time; and some might want to go abroad on their own time, rather than in study abroad. And hey, that’s okay!
So, you’re looking ahead and planning your time at GW, don’t feel like you need to do anything just because it’s “what everyone does.” Deep down, you know the things that are best for you—so have faith in yourself to do what you want to do.
#HonorsProblems: Reflections from a Humble Research Assistant
The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Lucy, a sophomore studying international affairs.
Besides “interdisciplinary curricula” and “holistic applicants”, identifying as a “research institution” seemed to be the hottest trend in university marketing when I was touring colleges. You better believe it – some bright-eyed admissions rep would tell the gaggle of students and parents that had just spent probably a few too many hours in the car together – our students, here at [insert name] University, can do original research with faculty as undergraduates.
Like many things schools tell prospective students on tours (“the freshmen dorms are really nice”; “you’ll never get tired of the dining options”; etc.) I assumed that these alleged research opportunities should be taken with a grain of salt. Ok, so undergraduates can do research with faculty – how many students actually do research and what percentage of these students do research outside of the hard sciences? Knowing that I would be pursuing a major in the social sciences, I was fairly apprehensive about the actual amount of opportunities that would present themselves.
Of course this was because I had a completely incorrect understanding of what working with university faculty actually meant. Clearly, I would probably do more damage than good in a lab setting, but it was ridiculous to think that I could only perform original research from behind an Erlenmeyer flask.
Last Spring, I applied on a whim for a research assistant position that had been posted on the honors blog to work with a Professor Harris Mylonas in the Political Science department. Because I was only in my second semester ever at GW, I was mostly expecting a “thanks but no thanks” at best given the fact that I did not have 15 internships immortalized on my resume. However, I was pleasantly proven wrong, and Professor Mylonas invited me to assist him with his research. Professor Mylonas’s work centers largely on diasporas, nation-building, and Southeastern Europe. Since beginning work with him last Spring I have been able to contribute to various papers and articles. I continued working with Professor Mylonas this semester, and most recently, I have been assisting him with updating Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2018 Report for Greece and Cyprus.
It was foolish of me to think that as a social science major I would need to wait for a senior thesis or graduate school to develop a close relationship with a faculty members. Professors are doing research in fields beyond just the hard sciences, and student engagement is feasible in all disciplines. My experience working with Professor Mylonas has been challenging and fulfilling, and I know that I am a stronger student and critical thinker because of this experience.
#HonorsProblems: In Just 250 Words…
The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Shubha, a CCAS sophomore planning to study public health and statistics.
The blinking cursor on the empty Word document titled “Public Health Major Application” seemed to have been more productive than I had been in the last hour. I stared blankly at the question, unable to formulate sentences that seem unique, but not too quirky; witty, but not forced humor; researched, but not all-knowing, all while cramming all my passion, drive and work ethic into just 250 words. With that kind of mindset, it’s no surprise that the application I’ve been waiting to fill out since I stepped foot on GW’s campus stayed blank for over a week.
My experience applying into the public health major is not unlike the experience many honors students face. From internships to academic programs to orgs, wanting to be involved often comes with having to fill out an application. Asking us to put our thoughts and ideas into a limited amount of words, especially when the question is quirky, can be difficult.
When faced with my application, I found myself looking to write what I thought was the right answer instead of my answer. I was trying to be what I thought the public heath admissions office would want to hear, completely defeating the point of answering these questions. While it can feel like you have to appear to be a certain way, an application is often the only way someone can get to know you. Trying to be something else can seem disingenuine and not give the admissions office or employer a chance to know the amazing person you actually are. Once I let go of that idea, I noticed my writing came more naturally and was in line with my thoughts.
Limited space can also be a difficult step to overcome. I realized it was not not an issue of having nothing to say, but instead having too much to say! I was overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start, leaving my Word document as blank as when I had started. I find that outlining what you want to say, and then formulating complete sentences around them can ensure that important points do not get cut because of the word limit, but can help eliminate fluff.
Most importantly, don’t let having to do an application stop you! On top of homework and tests, it can be hard to find time to also answer questions that require thinking and editing. I’ve personally missed out on some incredible opportunities because I let the application fall behind my other homework. If you find something you’re really interested in, be sure to make the time to get the questions done. For all you know, it could be the experience you’ll be writing about in your own blog post one day!
#HonorsProblems: Setting Your Non-Negotiables
The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Nicky, a GWSB sophomore studying international business, Spanish, and philosophy.
To Whom It May Concern:
You’re probably reading this because you study(ied) or work(ed) at the beautiful George Washington University, so you most likely are very comfortable with our culture of getting internships like they are the candy on Halloween (Happy October spooky fam!). So, as an 18-20something-year-old attending GW and trying to build the biggest and best resume, you may be seeking an internship, or even be offered an internship at some point (because as UHP students we are just that good). Now, here’s the catch- what if said internship is 25 hours a week while you are taking 18 credits, or if it is in New York City over the summer and you are from Des Moines, Iowa? What do you do? Do you just take the internship because your resume keeps you up at night, or do you try to find something that works better? Here is my answer:
Find your non-negotiables.
A friend last year at my internship said this to me, and it has stuck with me since then. Here is my example:
I (being the GW student I detailed earlier) wanted an internship my first summer after college, because you know… that’s normal? (No it really isn’t please talk to people from other universities they’ll think you’re crazy). My issue came about because I have a life back home in Pennsylvania, and most of the internships I was finding were in DC, and they were exactly what I wanted to do later in my life and they paid VERY well compared to PA’s $7.25 minimum wage. Clearly, the DC internships were enticing, but I sat down with my advisors (shout out Mary) and friends and realized that I was 19, and I should really be focusing on my friends and girlfriend back home, because they are a super important part of my life. Does this then mean I just wasn’t going to get an internship? Nah, it just means that I should make sure whoever my employer is knows about my non-negotiables.
The story has a happy ending of course! I got an internship working for Keller Williams Real Estate, which is something I’ve always been interested in, but I made sure that it was close to home (only 10 minutes) and that I had weekends and one day off during the workweek to see my friends and girlfriend. Setting those non-negotiables did its job: I was able to see my girlfriend every Tuesday and see my friends and her on the weekends, which was a great balance.
This is just my example of setting non-negotiables, but it can really be applied anywhere: in class, at work, at home, with friends, etc. If you take a step back and clearly figure out what you want in the next part of your life, it makes it a lot easier to go out and grab it. Hopefully, your non-negotiables are clear like mine were, but if not, don’t fret, just always be looking out for the things or people that mean the most to you and try to put them first… it has allowed me to live a much happier life.
All the best,
Nicky Cacchione
#HonorsProblems: No Sleep? No Problem.
The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Michelle, a CCAS sophomore studying political science, applied ethics, and law and society. Michelle is also on the pre-law track.
Normally, I wouldn’t advocate for students to get no sleep, but there are times in your life when pulling an all-nighter is inevitable and totally worth it. That time came for me during the spring semester of my freshman year: one of my roommates and I waited up all night in the pouring rain to see the Supreme Court Oral Argument in the case of Trump v. Hawaii, more commonly known as the Muslim Travel Ban. We arrived outside the Supreme Court at about 7pm, and after 14 (very long, very wet) hours, we finally stepped foot into the Supreme Court (#onlyatGW)!
This was my second time attending an Oral Argument at the Supreme Court, granted the first case was very low-profile and we arrived at 5am. Upon entering the building and going through security, ticket-holders have about an hour to explore before being ushered into the courtroom. For my roommate and I, this meant changing into dry clothes, trying to make it look as if we hadn’t been up all night, and getting breakfast. After locking all of our items away (no phones allowed!), we were seated. As a pre-law student, there’s nothing like having the opportunity to envision your future career while sitting in the Supreme Court, waiting to see RBG and the other eight justices.
Soon enough, the case began. I had assumed that the arguments would be about whether or not President Trump’s Executive Order was religiously discriminative. I was wrong. There was an entirely separate dimension concerning the Court: Did President Trump have the Constitutional authority to issue such an order? This was an issue that I hadn’t even thought of, and it made me realize that while pre-professional advising is great, the best way to learn about a field is to observe people actually at work.
Watching a Supreme Court Oral Argument is nothing like watching a trial on Law and Order. Seeing our legal system at work was eye opening, and that’s the beauty of going to school in DC. For as long as I can remember, I knew that I wanted to be an attorney, but I had no real experience. After seeing attorneys at work in the highest court of the country, I know it’s what I want to do with my career. That’s why it’s so important to take advantage of the opportunities around you as an undergraduate – so you can start to see what your career could look like.
For you, your career goals may not dictate an all-nighter in the pouring rain outside of the Supreme Court, but use your resources at GW and in DC to find a way to gain insight into your interests. Whether that means an internship, organizing an informational interview, or going to events around the city, take the initiative to learn more about your dream job – future you will be thankful!
#HonorsProblems: How to Put a Meaningful Summer into Your Four Year Plan
The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Clare, an ESIA sophomore studying international affairs and Spanish.
It’s the time of year when freshmen start working on their four-year plans, and as everyone focuses on fitting in their requirements for majors, on the best electives, and extracurricular activities, one thing usually gets ignored even though it is very important: summer.
I decided to spend my summer after freshman year living in DC. However, it took a lot of deliberation to make that choice. While many upperclassmen stay summers at their university or at internships in new cities, it’s not very common for freshmen to choose not to go home for their first summer of college. And there’s a reason for that: after our first nine months away from our hometown, family, and high school friends, there’s a strong pull to spend summer break at home. However, staying the summer away from home can be an equally attractive option: we may have great internship or work opportunities, have the chance to take summer classes/research positions only offered at GW, or simply love the independence of living in a city on our own. Whatever might be pulling you in either direction, if you’re considering spending the summer away from home, here are some tips for making that decision:
While it is important to keep in mind what you think other people are doing with their summers, remember that only you can make the best choice for you. One thing that really made me reluctant to spend the summer at GW was that almost all my friends from GW and from high school said that they were going home for the summer. I was nervous to do something that didn’t seem like “the norm,” and I was worried I was going to be lonely— after all, only around 600-800 students out of the around 20,000 students at GW spend their summers in GW Housing each year. However, I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter what other people are doing— I ended up loving my summer. And while I thought I was going to be lonely, I can’t recall feeling lonely once— I ended up becoming closer with the few friends that also decided to stay and meeting some of my best friends through my job.
Look into the financial options available to you. I knew that the only way I could stay at GW over the summer was to make it economically feasible. And what I learned over the summer is that there are SO many ways to make summers away from home affordable! I got a part-time job with GW Summer and Conference Housing that gave me free housing and paid a salary higher than I would have been paid at a job back home. GW offers many summer jobs with similar setups, such as Housing, Colonial VIP, Facilities, and Key Depot. Almost all have part-time options, so you can pursue other opportunities outside of your job. I got to do a remote internship and a research assistantship with one of my favorite professors with the amount of time afforded me by a part-time job at GW.
Above all, trust your gut. The biggest draw for me was the independence involved with staying at GW, and in my gut I knew that that was what was right for me. However, that isn’t the same reason to stay for everyone, and living in a single and working for your stay over the summer can be quite daunting, as it requires a lot more self-sufficiency than going to school. While I loved that I had never felt so independent in my life, it can be better for some people to enjoy time at home and with family. All in all, make the decision that makes sense for you.
#HonorsProblems: Getting Back in the Swing of Things
The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Mel, a senior majoring in political science and double minoring in international affairs and Chinese.
It’s that time of year again. Campus is vibrant with life. Everyone is back and ready to start fresh in the new school year. The sun is out and Kogan is packed with people. As a senior, this is my fourth and final time coming to campus in the fall. With mixed emotions of excitement, nervousness, and a hint of nostalgia, I have been trying to get myself back into the groove of school, all while dealing with that post-summer drag. Every year it takes me about two to three weeks to fully get back into work mode. Freshman year, I was ready to go. But the last few years it’s taken me longer and longer to change my mindset back into focus.
My biggest piece of advice for getting past this bump would be to try something new to get you excited. Sign up for a new club. Try a new class or LSPA that you’ve been just dying to take (even though it doesn’t necessarily count for your major). Pick a new restaurant to go to every weekend with friends. The little things can really help us get excited to be back at school, regardless of the workload that’s coming or stress that we might be feeling being back on campus. This semester I decided that I would try to reconnect with some old friends that I’ve lost touch with because of a myriad of excuses that kept popping up over the years. The busyness of the beginning of the semester seems daunting to everyone at times but adding in things that you’ll look forward to will undoubtedly make your schedule more manageable and more enjoyable.
At GW, the pressure we put on ourselves to get good grades and to be involved in every club and activity can make planning the semester one of the most stressful times of year. Just know that you’re not alone and we’re all getting back into the school routine together. After three years here, I have learned time and time again that even if someone seems like they have it all together, they are probably just as nervous as you. We’re all in the same boat, and within a few weeks, we’ll all be back in the swing of things together again.
