Student Peer Advisors – Page 5 – University Honors Program Blog

#HonorsProblems: Struggles of an Intellectually-Curious Student in an Achievement-Oriented World

April 26, 2017General News, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Tori, a sophomore in the Elliott School studying international affairs and conflict resolution. You can learn more about Tori here.

It’s 12:52am. You register for classes in approximately 6 hours. In your groggy stupor, you, an intellectually curious student, think to yourself “Math is my weakest academic area, but maybe that’s because I haven’t found a topic that I genuinely enjoy! Calculus sounds interesting!” You, nostalgic for a time when academic success was not determined by the letter grade you receive on a transcript (4th grade, maybe), decide to register for Calc I.

But you, a pragmatist, remember that you are scared of numbers and hate taking exams, and you decide that you don’t want to take any more semesters of math than is absolutely necessary. You, a problem-solver, amend your original plan and decide to register for an accelerated version of Calc I.

You have never taken Calc before. You haven’t taken any sort of math class in 2 years. You tell yourself you will review basic concepts in mathematics. You, a busy person with other more relevant academic interests, don’t. You, a stubborn and intellectually-curious individual, don’t drop the class.

The semester goes by, and you find yourself spending a disproportionate amount of time studying for a class in which you’re doing significantly less-well than all your other classes. You, a reflective student, ask yourself: was this even worth it? Why did I do this to myself?

—

Confession #1: This was me.
Confession #2: The grade I ultimately received in this class was lower than any other grade I’ve received in my life.
Confession #3: I would 100% recommend that everybody make the exact same decision.

I chose to take Calc for two reasons: 1) Even though math was never my strong suit, Calc seemed like an interesting and applicable version of math and I genuinely wanted to give it a chance, and 2) I knew that I would rather struggle through a class I found interesting than get a decent grade in a class I absolutely hated. At the end of the semester I realized that, even through the fatigue, complaints, and packages of erasers, I was intellectually satisfied. I had learned more than I had anticipated, and I was proud of what I had learned. Maybe that didn’t always show through on an exam, but I knew deep-down that I was being honest with myself and that I had made a choice that was the best decision for me.

The details of this story are specific to my own experience, but I can almost guarantee that the sentiment is not. Honors students are driven by a desire to learn everything they can about the world around us, and sometimes, this leads us down a more challenging academic path than we had initially anticipated. Maybe my Calc experience will be your experience with a philosophy class or an art class, or maybe you’re struggling through your own personal mathematical abyss. In the spirit of this registration season, I tell you this: TAKE THE CLASS. Trust me, the struggle will be worth it.

The Extra-Curricular: Students for Justice in Palestine

April 12, 2017General News, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by Abby Brook, an Elliott School sophomore studying the Middle East, international development, and music. You can learn more about Abby here.

Hello UHP Community, I want to share how my experience with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) has been the most influential aspect of my life at GW. SJP is an organization that advocates for the justice and human rights for Palestinians and seeks to educate the community about the occupation of Palestine. My experience with SJP has been pivotal in my life for two main reasons: through my involvement, I learned how to be a student organizer while I also found a loving and supportive community that challenges me.

Here is a photo of the SJP coordinating committee with our keynote speaker for Palestine Awareness Week, Angela Davis, who helped us launch a campaign calling for the university to divest from companies that profit off of Palestinian human suffering.

While I joined SJP last year, I truly got involved this year. I am a member of SJP’s non-hierarchical coordinating committee, so this year I gained different kinds of experience and skills with SJP; I planned multiple events, helped launch a divestment campaign, and learned skills for working with other students and organizers in the DMV area! As a result of our style of leadership and the nature of being in a student organization that focuses on organizing, I was able to learn through experience with the supportive community of other students! In the process, I have learned so much about organizing, social justice, and community. My involvement with SJP has played a big role in realizing that after graduation, I want to continue doing community organizing for racial justice!

An equally important part of my experience with SJP has been how it created a home for me at GW. The relationships that I made through SJP have helped sustain me through the ups and downs of organizing and college life. I’m so grateful for my community and inspired by my friends every day!

If you are interested in getting involved with social justice and community organizing on campus, I would love to talk to you and find the right space for you so you can find your own family and community like I did! 🙂

The Intern Files: Office of the Solicitor General of the United States

March 22, 2017General News, Intern Files, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Zach, a pre-law CCAS junior studying history, law and society, and jazz studies.
As I sat in a black van with tinted windows, driving down Constitution Avenue towards the Supreme Court, Edwin Kneedler, a Deputy Solicitor General of the United States and 125+ Supreme Court Oral Argument veteran, turned around and said to me, “So what the hell happened at the Oscars last night?”
Innocently sitting at my desk, the head of the Research & Publications division walked in and handed a thick packet to the paralegal sitting at the desk behind me. The packet was the United States’ Amicus Brief in State of Washington v. Trump, being delivered for cite-checking.
And every morning, Noel J. Francisco, the current Acting Solicitor General, President Trump’s pick to fill the role permanently, and the legal architect of Travel Ban 2.0, smiles at me and says good morning.
These are just a few of the quirks of my job as an Administrative Intern in the Office of the Solicitor General of the United States. It’s an interesting place to be, nowadays, but to understand exactly why, let me give you a quick briefing on what exactly the OSG is and what the Solicitor General does.
The Solicitor General of the United States is responsible for representing the interests of the federal government in all litigation before the Supreme Court of the United States. This includes in oral arguments, where the SG represents the “United States” and its executive agencies when they are parties to a case; via writing amicus curiae briefs, even in cases where the United States is not a direct party, and deciding when to appeal cases to the Supreme Court. For instance, Solicitor General Don Verrilli represented Sylvia Burwell in the Obamacare litigation (King v. Burwell, Zubik v. Burwell, etc.), and the OSG wrote the Obama administration’s brief in Obergefell v. Hodges, the gay marriage case.
It’s an office that has immense influence on the development of law, and it’s rightly considered by many to be the pinnacle of the legal profession – just ask Justice Thurgood Marshall, who called his time as Solicitor General “the best job I ever had.”
The internship has given me an incredible level of insight into my future profession. One of the main perks is carte blanche access to the Supreme Court, so I’ve been able to ride in the van with lawyers preparing to argue on a given day, watch them argue, and observe them debrief from the experience. For a nerd like me who would wake up at 5:00am to see Oral Arguments anyway, it’s a dream come true.
As a history major, it’s been fascinating to walk through the halls of the Justice Department and see faces of Attorneys General and Solicitors General past looking down on me. The OSG, one of the offices created by the 1870 Act to Establish the Department of Justice, has a deep history. It’s been involved in just about every major Supreme Court decision in our nation’s history: former SG Samuel Phillips represented Homer Plessy in Plessy v. Ferguson. Solicitor General Philip Perlman first suggested in his brief for the United States in Henderson v. United States that Plessy should be overturned. Assistant to the Solicitor General Philip Elman wrote the amicus curiae brief in Brown vs. Board of Education which suggested the “with all deliberate speed” approach to racial desegregation.
It’s an office that has been the primary force for justice and change since the very outset of its existence. Merely being present and attentive during the past few tumultuous months to watch the nation’s best litigators, do their work, irrespective of politics, has been a fascinating and instructive experience. I would encourage anyone who is interested in an internship that truly gives you a platform for high-level observation to apply for the internship for the fall, and feel free to reach out with any questions you might have.

The Extra-Curricular: Computers!

March 8, 2017General News, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Riley, a CCAS sophomore transferring into SEAS to study computer science. You can learn more about him here.
Hi, UHPers! Welcome to another edition of The Extra Curricular. My academic career began at the Elliott School and is transitioning into SEAS, where I study computer science. When you’re in a position like mine, you will be much better off by exposing yourself to all the new things and rooting yourself in orgs that reward you for sacrificing free time. I belong to Buff and Blue Hat (BBH) and GW Systems Hacking Club (SHC), both of which are focused on understanding systems. My experiences with these orgs taught me lessons about personal growth that I would like to share with you.
This semester, I serve as vice president of BBH which looks at system security and is generally more open to newcomers who know very little computer science. When I first started attending meetings, the great thing about BBH was that the club had loose structure, few members, and plenty of opportunities to ask questions from knowledgeable people. These factors are so important because they let me shape my learning. As I often suggested stuff I wanted to learn and researched topics to bring to the group, I became a central part of the club and it became an excellent tool for me. There is a lot of value in growing an org because you will find yourself growing with it!
Even in established clubs, getting involved will build you up. That’s especially beneficial when the club teaches you skills and concepts that will appear in later jobs, classes, etc. SHC focuses on the gritty details of operating systems and large code bases. It’s backed by professor Gabe Parmer (Operating Systems Professor) and is a great avenue for research with him or for participating in projects with other students. And it provides students with a way to teach interesting topics that you learn along the way. By getting involved and giving a talk, I was able to take on a research position with a systems professor and feel comfortable with the material.
If these clubs sound interesting or you want to contact me, check out the info below:
Email: rileykennedy@gwu.edu
BBH: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bbhgw/
SHC: https://github.com/GW-SHC

#HonorsProblems: On being a high achiever who doesn’t fit the GW mold

February 22, 2017General News, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Kate, a CCAS sophomore studying statistics. You can learn more about Kate here.
Everyone knows one: the perfect archetype of the GW student. This student is majoring in Political Science, or International Affairs, or, if they’re particularly ambitious, both. Their Instagram is all monument pictures. They have a favorite Supreme Court Justice; they already support someone’s 2020 campaign. They attended the DNC, are currently working at multiple think-tanks, and have interned on the Hill. Twice.
For those of us who don’t fit this image, it can often feel like we’re not doing enough to keep up. Honors students tend to care about academic success. However, how can we measure our achievements if they don’t look like this university’s image of success? As a Statistics major, I’ve learned that my victories often aren’t exactly the same as everyone else’s—and that’s okay. So here’s a few tips on how to stop comparing yourself to others and celebrate your own achievements.
Look for Strengths in Different Areas
I’ve found that students (especially Honors students) who worry about how much they’re doing actually already have plenty of accomplishments. Many of us just don’t know where to look. It’s obvious that a Hillternship can go on your resume as experience. But have you considered that your student org involvement can provide valuable skills, too? I used to worry about not having done enough, until a fellow peer advisor pointed out that being an RA is an accomplishment to be proud of. I had to look to my residential experience instead of my professional experience to see that I am successful—just in different ways than my friends.
Make a Plan
If you’re in a field that’s not typically GW (like Statistics), typical career advice may not be applicable to you. Investigate what you need to be successful on your chosen path. Do you need to go to grad school? What classes should you be taking? Are internships important to your field, or is something else weighted more heavily? For me, I’ve realized that the most important part of my resume is not job experience, but the statistical packages I can program in. See if there are similar norms in your discipline.
Sometimes, You Come First
Taking care of yourself should be a student’s first priority. No one can take classes, work, be in student orgs, maintain friendships, or balance any other commitments we encounter, unless you’re mentally and physically healthy first. Be conscious of yourself and your needs. If comparing yourself to someone makes you feel like you need an internship, but you can barely handle your classes as is, guess what: you shouldn’t take an internship. Your needs are different than that student’s, and that’s okay.
Similarly, it’s okay to prioritize what you want instead of what you “should” want. Next year I will be an RA on the Vern. I’ve been told I shouldn’t take the position because I should stay on Foggy Bottom—but I love being an RA, I love the honors community, and I love working with freshmen. I’ve realized that my passions don’t have to align with the choices that others would make.
Conclusion- Stop Comparing Apples to Oranges
In summary, if you’re not the typical GW student, by golly, stop feeling bad about it. You’re great too. Look for other accomplishments, figure out how to be successful in your discipline, and take care of yourself. You’re going to be fine. I believe in you!

Study Ablog: From Dublin with Love

February 1, 2017General News, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices, Study Abroad

The following blog post was written by peer advisor Eamonn, an ESIA junior studying international affairs and philosophy.
I embarked on my semester abroad at Trinity College Dublin having spent my first two years of college in Washington D.C. at the George Washington University. Washington is a vibrantly cosmopolitan city, featuring an effervescent milieu of ethnicities, occupations, creeds and political perspectives. Like the city it occupies, George Washington is an intellectually diverse institution, with students and faculty drawn from across the globe. Yet for my first two years of school, I was utterly negligent of these assets offered by city and college alike. Painfully obsessed with getting ahead, I drastically abridged the possibilities of student life. My semester at Trinity was an immense achievement precisely because it stood opposed to the narrow conformism I had let myself sink into back home. At Trinity, I rediscovered my intellectual, cultural and social freedom. At Trinity, I became a better, fuller person.
Intellectually, Trinity was diametrically different from my experience at George Washington. Foremost, my international affairs major was nonexistent there. Entitled to enroll and receive credit for courses across the swathe of the School of Social Sciences and Philosophy, I ended up taking classes far beyond the pale of my usual studies: imperial Roman history, contemporary theories of ethics, and the philosophical foundations of monotheism. Alongside my more standard fare of modern history and political science, this diverse combination of classes was immeasurably broadening and enriching. I learned new methods of critical analysis, new mediums to express argument in and essentially, new ways of thinking. Many of these classes hold no formal relevance to IA, but for that very reason, have enhanced my understanding of it. Without making the decision to go abroad and enter a new academic environment, I never would have had the courage to break the traditional confines of my studies.
Culturally, I became conscious for the first time. Never one to deviate from my favorite haunts and daily routines at home, studying in Dublin motivated me to participate in a wider world. Without familiar habits to collapse into, I went out to see the astonishing country I was living in. I came to love Ireland’s primal beauty, became attuned to the nuances, contradictions and energy of Ireland’s people and engendered an appreciation of how the Irish consider themselves before history’s arc. I hiked across the country’s rugged, lonely hills, spoke, laughed, ate with its occupants in cities across the island, and pondered the successes and tragedies that clothe Ireland at the nation’s chief heritage sites. These were accomplishments I was hardly aware could be had back in Washington. Now I am brimming with eagerness to turn this newfound cultural sensibility towards home. I am likely to find startling things in familiar places because of it.
Socially, Ireland challenged me in ways I was completely unaccustomed to. For the last two years, I have had a consistent circle of friends and an unswerving daily habit. For the most recent four months, I was separated from my friends, connected through only a shaky phone service to my girlfriend, and denuded of the little things that created normality in my life, from my preferred breakfast cereal to how I pay for meals at a restaurant (unless you practically simulate having a stroke don’t expect the waiter’s attention). These changes were jarring, at times, tormenting. Yet they were in finality salutary, giving me poise and resourcefulness. Further, Ireland made me more empathetic. Denied my familiar relationships. I went out to create unfamiliar ones. This led me to play soccer with the Trinity team, to go cheer on vying Gaelic Football clubs with the locals at their pubs, and to form friendships with students studying abroad from around the globe. In these efforts, I could not simply rely on mutually shared values or understandings. I had to genuinely work to appreciate what someone found serious, what they found funny, what made them cry, and what made them get up every morning. Doing this was at times awkwardly unsuccessful, but it was conclusively rewarding.
I went abroad to Ireland with a vague desire to change my surroundings. I came back with the clear knowledge of having changed myself for the better. My mind is broader and sharper, my social horizons more diverse and flexible, and my commitments in the world imbued with a sense of the universal. This last element, so difficult to explain, but so important to what I have become, was defining of my time in Ireland. It is a sentiment begotten by my experience abroad, an intuition that through the intellectual, cultural and social differences I have witnessed, I now have a more complete idea of how we are all the same. It is this similarity, a mutuality of dignity, compassion, suffering and resilience, which I take away as not only fundamental to my immediate future, but to my character. In this sense, studying abroad was life-changing.

#HonorsProblems: Be Weird, and Be Better for It

January 25, 2017General News, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by Aaron, a junior in the Elliott School studying conflict resolution and psychology. Aaron is also the peer advisor training coordinator! You can learn more about him here.
“You’ve got to embrace your inner strange, man. Just be weird.” – Willoughby, Everybody Wants Some
I play Dungeons and Dragons. There it is. It’s not something I’ve done forever – I played for the first time over last summer, had a blast, and now I play once a week with a group of friends.
I’ve always loved fantasy worlds. Marvel, DC, Harry Potter and beyond – you name it and I’ve probably spent a bit of time in that universe. I’ve fallen in love with movies, books, and comics.
As a new player, I quickly found the game to be incredibly social, interactive, and pushing me out of my comfort zone. In fact, I would go so far to say that it is one of the most creatively challenging things I’ve ever done. It was very difficult to communicate the rush of excitement over this discovery of a new passion to people who didn’t understand, even those who shared similar passions to those I mentioned above. I was ready for some awkwardness, but I quickly began to feel embarrassed. I was teased. Their perceptions of the game completely contrasted with my experience.
While rock climbing with one of the guys I play with – talk about the last thing you’d expect two DnD players to be up to on a rainy Saturday in DC – he shared that he rarely discussed the game with friends who didn’t play.
For me, keeping something that had brought me such an important dimension of creativity, imagination, and happiness to myself is not acceptable. Our quirky passions define us. They give us a reprieve from the stresses of the world and our more practical passions. Even more importantly, they often enhance skillsets that we don’t use in our schoolwork and other areas of life, creating a well-rounded self. These things should not be hidden – they should be celebrated. Be proud of the “weird” things you do because they make you happy in ways that “normal” things cannot. Embrace them. Share your stories and encourage others to share the passions they keep to themselves. Try someone’s passion and invite him or her to try yours.
GW is an incredible environment for career-minded individuals and those passionate about their academics. If not the first, I fall deeply into that second category. Having a passion so detached from my schoolwork is imperative to my academic success. For three hours every Saturday, I make the choice to forget about my homework, or the paper due on Tuesday, and lose myself in a character and a world. I laugh with my friends and think critically about imaginary situations. When we resurface at the end of a session, I feel refreshed and sharper, more prepared for the week of work ahead.
I didn’t discover DnD until seven months ago. If you feel you are lacking something similar, consider yourself incentivized to indulge curiosities and explore activities that you may have dismissed in the past. I never expected to find myself a DnD player, but here I am today, trying to derive greater meaning from something that makes me happy in the simplest of ways.

Apply to Be a Peer Advisor!

December 20, 2016Featured, General News, Student Peer Advisors

Honors Peer Advisors are an integral part of UHP advising, providing mentorship to new Honors students and providing a student perspective for the Honors community at large. They advise on honors experiences, classes, housing, and all the facets of life at GW as a Honors student.
Are you interested in applying to be an Honors Peer Advisor? Applications are now open!

Apply here if you’re applying as a new Honors Peer Advisors
Apply here if you’re applying as a returning Honors Peer Advisors
Apply here if you’re interested in a leadership positionwith the Honors Peer Advisors. Please note that leadership candidates should also fill out a regular application.

The application deadline is Monday, January 23. Please contact uhppeers@gwu.edu with questions regarding the application.

The Intern Files: Randolph for Congress

November 16, 2016General News, Intern Files, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by peer advisor Kelsie, a CCAS sophomore studying political science and history. She also works in the UHP front office! You can learn more about Kelsie here.
I’m sure that everyone is just dying to read more about the elections of last week, but I’m here to share my own work experience during the historic 2016 cycle (keeping opinions to a bare minimum, I promise):
Last summer I worked on Susannah Randolph’s congressional campaign after I found a post looking for interns on the UCF Political Science Department website. This local election was a pretty big deal. Florida’s 9th congressional district covers a huge chunk of the state; the southeast side of Orlando, down into a generous portion of Osceola and Polk counties. The 9th district is a Democratic stronghold in Florida, with the blue candidate winning by 10 points or more in the past four elections. Alan Grayson was the two-term Representative for the district, but he left the seat to run for the Senate. The seat was open, without an incumbent, and whichever campaign won the primary election had a near certain general election win, the pressure was on.

At the beginning of the summer, most of the work I did was on a computer: compiling lists of potential voters, maintaining records of calls to donors, and researching opponents. Occasionally, I would help do ‘call time’ with donors, dialing numbers and passing calls on to Susannah.
Canvassing neighborhoods was the biggest portion of the work that I did. We would go out to different parts of the district, often driving about an hour out to Polk County on the weekends, to talk to voters. We knocked on doors and passed along information about the campaign and our candidate to voters. As the primary drew closer, we would go out almost every evening to neighborhoods in all three counties. Walking around in temperatures above 95 degrees was not the most pleasant thing to do, but I did enjoy the conversations that I had with enthusiastic voters. I learned a lot about the people that live in my community and what they wanted and needed from their representatives.

When absentee ballots were sent out, we started phonebanking every night to remind people to fill out and return their ballots. We also provided information about Susannah and answered questions about her platform. When early voting started, we called to help people make plans to vote, making sure that they know where their polling place was. I felt that this was probably the most impactful thing that I did during my time at the campaign; even if the people I spoke to didn’t vote for Susannah, hopefully they did go out to vote.
Ultimately, Susannah did not win the primary. We ended up with a respectable 28.2% of the vote in a four-way race. We did get the most votes in Polk County, which I am very proud of after having canvassed in the boiling Poinciana sun. Our opponent, Darren Soto, won the November election and went on to win the general election a week ago, keeping the district in Democratic hands.

In terms of life lessons, I learned a lot about communicating with other people. Making sure that the other person feels like they are being listened to is especially important. Voters are people, and people want to have their concerns heard. Also, I think I finally overcame the Millennial aversion to talking on the phone, it is a whole lot easier after hours and hours of practice with people that you don’t know.
The smaller sized campaign allowed me to some fantastic contacts with people who have already helped me out with future aspirations. My advice: if you do decide to stay home for a summer, make it an election year and get involved in your local politics, they really are important and an excellent learning experience.

The Extra Curricular: Resident Assistant

November 9, 2016General News, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

A Gladiator in Sweatpants with Sleepy Eyes

We all know Olivia Pope. She’s the fixer.
The one you go to with everything from the tiniest question to the monumental crisis. She’s got all the connections you think you need and even a few that you’ve never thought of trying. Most importantly, when you think you’ve had enough, she reminds you that you’re just as strong as anyone else and that together you can weather any storm.
She’s kind of like a resident advisor in college. Which is weird, because Kerry Washington WAS IN FACT an RA at GW.

As a resident advisor, I’ve had the unique privilege to be one of your live-in Olivia Popes. I act as a primary resource and a first line of defense in the residence halls. Knock or send us an email, and we’re there to answer questions, resolve conflicts, and support residents in their toughest challenges.
We’re also hiring.

So, I’d like to give you an insight into a job that has allowed me to grow as a leader, challenge myself, and meet some of my closest friends.
As a leader:
At the broadest level, being an RA drops you into a position where you have the freedom to implement your own style of leadership.
There are guidelines and building blocks provided in our training, but I feel that we are encouraged to learn the information and then apply it in the way that best allows each of us to use our diverse strengths. This is an ideal setting to try new things and learn how to be your best leader.

As a challenge:
Residents can plan all they want, but eventually many will encounter something they never expected. That’s when, as an RA, you really get to be there for someone. You need to think on your feet and be a creative problem solver. You need to know how to listen and support them.
I always have the full support of the Center for Student Engagement, but in those moments, what I say, what I do, and how I approach the problem can make a big difference in how that individual processes the situation.
This is not an easy thing to do. I can practice all I want, but it doesn’t compare to the real thing. To mediate a conflict or to sit in uncomfortable silence or to make a late-night phone call – it’s hard. It’s supposed to be hard. If it weren’t hard, everybody would be an RA. The hard is what makes it such a valuable experience. (See A League of Their Own for the origin of this paraphrasing.)

As a friend:
I had never encountered a team that was truly the epitome of the concept until I became an RA. My team, this year made up of the RAs in Potomac, is fluid and supportive. No ropes course can stand our communication skills or our ability to motivate each other. We often bounce ideas off each other and suggest new perspectives from which a problem might be tackled.
More than anything, I’m proud to call my teammates my friends. Just as we foster community in our building, we are a community in ourselves. Returning as a second year RA has given me the great opportunity to be a leader within this team, as well as make a second team’s worth of new friends.

I’m just one RA in a long line of RAs who have also been in the Honors program. It’s an invaluable opportunity. Applications open this week! Here’s the link to the application and the schedule for required information sessions! https://studentengagement.gwu.edu/resident-advisors
* I chose to write this blog of my own volition. My views do not reflect those of the CSE. I simply wish to share my experience and encourage other UHP students to check it out!