Student Voices – Page 6 – University Honors Program Blog

#HonorsProblems: Navigating The Impostor-Syndrome Horror of Honors Classroom Discussion

October 29, 2019January 16, 2020General News, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

Peer Advisor Natalie Stands in front of a pillar

Academic terror. Sheer intimidation. My first day of Origins, I considered dropping out of the University Honors Program. Was I smart enough to be here? Could I get high enough grades? Could I contribute thoughtfully to discussion? These were the doubts rushing through my mind.

I was surrounded by brilliant peers discussing their desire to be the next generation of philosophers. The professor asked weighty philosophical questions, and the students had profound thoughts on modernity, philosophy, and society.

I had never read an original philosophical text in my life.

Though only a few semesters ago, I was misguided in my intimidation. After becoming more immersed in the UHP community, I am now able to recognize the importance of self-reflection rather than comparison.

Chances are, I’m not going to be the smartest person in the room, the most well-read, or most well-educated. But, there is one thing I can control; I can always be the hardest working.

Instead of becoming frustrated with the vast intellect of my peers or their quick grasp of concepts, I focus only on my level of effort.

By re-centering my focus on personal work ethic, I can curb frustrations that often arise from comparison. I can’t control the grades I will get on a paper or exam relative to my peers, but if I am confident in the time and work I put into studying, I should be satisfied with the outcome.

This mindset has not only allowed me to succeed in my academics but also in my internships. Rather than accepting the status-quo of other interns, I prioritize my individual effort. Being proud of my attitude and the work I complete allows me to thrive in a workplace environment.

Whether in Origins classes or internships, if I’m proud of the effort I invest, I have no other choice than to be content with the result. As UHP students, it is normal to fret over the brilliance of our peers. But, recognizing that we are all selected as unique and valued members of this community is essential in becoming the best versions of ourselves.

#HonorsProblems: The Kindness of Strangers and Other Nice Sentiments for Finals Season

December 12, 2018January 16, 2020General News, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Tori, an ESIA senior studying international affairs and applied ethics.
“You speak English like Americans; may I ask where you’re from?” After a long day of travel plagued by poorly planned logistics, my friend and I had just ordered our first meal in Malta when the elderly couple sitting at the table next to us asked the dreaded question. Having just finished a semester studying in England and, thus, painfully aware of our Americanisms, we answered with a “yes, how could you tell?” and a smile. They had just finished dessert but appeared to have taken an interest in us.
My friend and I explained that we were both Americans but met while studying abroad. The woman, Charmaine, and her husband, Nick, immediately proceeded to ask us all sorts of questions: Why England? What did you study? What brought you to Malta? How long will you be visiting?
This conversation lasted two more hours. We answered their questions and, as soon as they realized that we were willing to engage with “boring old people,” they opened up to us immediately. Charmaine was Maltese and grew up in Malta; she moved to New York City as a teenager and met Nick, a Long Island native, a few years later. They had been happily married for decades and, now retired, spend nine months of the year in Malta and three months Maine. They were very excited that we had decided to visit Malta and wanted us to have the best experience possible in our limited time there. After spending 45 minutes writing notes and outlining must-see places on a small map, Charmaine asked where we would be going the next day. My friend and I didn’t have a set plan. The next thing I knew, Charmaine and Nick offered to pick us up the next morning and drive us around to their favorite spots in Malta. My friend and I were absolutely astounded by their kindness and enthusiasm, so we agreed.
The next morning, Nick and Charmaine pulled up to our AirBnB in their tiny black convertible, palpably excited to share the island they loved so much. We took every scenic route we could, and Nick and Charmaine told stories of Maltese history, culture, language, family, love, loss, and life. Throughout the day, we hiked to ancient ruins, ate fresh strawberries on an oceanside cliff, saw places where Game of Thrones season 1 was filmed, and ate cake inside an old fortress overlooking the sea. When the afternoon was coming to a close, Nick and Charmaine invited us into their home for dinner and dessert, and we continued to chat. Feeling fulfilled and thankful, my friend and I were exhausted; Nick and Charmaine were exhilarated.
Absolutely touched by their kindness, Laurel and I gave them a card and expressed our endless gratitude for an incredible day. Before we left, Charmaine pulled me aside and told me that our day had meant as much to them as it had to us: “we both had surgery a few months ago, and we were feeling pessimistic about our ages. We were retreating. You showed us that we still have a lot of life left to live, and for that we will always be grateful.” When Nick dropped us off back at our AirBnB, he left us with a challenge: “I hope someday when you’re old farts like us, you’ll see some young travelers and treat them the same way we treated you. Think of us; we’ll be there with you.” And with that, our first full day in Malta was complete.
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Sometimes people enter your life when you least expect it. Everybody is struggling through their own personal battles, but everybody has something to share. If you’re feeling like deadlines are approaching but your grasp on what needs to get done is slipping away, remember that this too shall pass and that good things are coming your way. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress and deadlines of Finals Season without remembering that it’s also the Holiday Season. Remember to embrace each day this holiday season, and try to live each day fully. Nick and Charmaine would be proud.

#HonorsProblems: FOMO and JOMO: Learning to Balance the Two

December 5, 2018January 16, 2020General News, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Michelle, an ESIA sophomore studying international affairs and economics.
Avengers: Infinity War, that was the first movie that I went to by myself. Yes, that’s right. I was that person in the theater. The reason why my decision to go alone is so taboo can be attributed to FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out. This feeling is especially felt by our age group and is further exacerbated by the college setting. We’re keenly aware of our constant connection with others, but that connection often lends to social comparison, a behavior destructive to our sense of well-being.
As Montesquieu said, “If one only wished to be happy, this could be easily accomplished; but we wish to be happier than other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are.” In my first year, I remember constantly wondering why I didn’t have a close-knit group of friends yet. Why was I not as happy as the people on my Instagram feed?
The problem with FOMO is that it causes people to look outward instead of inward. When you’re so tuned in to others and things that are deemed as “better,” you lose your authentic sense of self. So, how do you maintain this authentic sense of self? Well, I am no philosopher king, but I can offer knowledge about FOMO’s antithesis. Welcome JOMO: Joy Of Missing Out. JOMO entails spending time alone, disconnecting, and being okay just as you are. It can be equated with solitude, a word that gets a negative connotation. It’s tough to think that solitude is acceptable when society, and especially college, tends to favor extroverts. But, cultivating one’s relationship with one’s own self is crucial. Solitude can boost overall well-being, and most importantly, help to prevent burnout.
As we’re gearing up for the chaos of finals, it’s important to remember to take time for yourself. I was overloaded, overwhelmed, and tired from the constant social interactions. Hence, the solo Avengers movie trip during finals week. Phone turned off, those couple of hours disconnected and in tune with myself was enough to improve my headspace and mood.
As proposed by economist Paul Dolan, happiness is determined by how you allocate your attention. If you aren’t as happy as you could be, then you must be misallocating your attention. Linking to Origins (because you’ll find that it links to literally everything), the best practice is moderation. You can’t always go out. But you also can’t live in isolation. A step to having this healthy balance is feeling secure in your relationships, which in turn, makes you feel less compelled to always be connected. Know that if you choose to take some me-time, your friends will still be there and eager for the next chance to hang out.
In short, here is the most concrete advice I can offer: utilize Screen Time (sorry Android users), scoot to Smithsonian Zoo alone, meet up with friends there to enjoy Zoo Lights.

#HonorsProblems: Getting Stuck in the Foggy Bottom Bubble

November 28, 2018January 16, 2020General News, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Linnea, a GWSB junior studying international business and French.
The Foggy Bottom Bubble. I first heard of it at Colonial Inauguration. My group leader talked about how easy it is to forget how much more there is to D.C. than GW’s campus. She warned that despite all of the exciting events, concerts, and museums in the city, many students find themselves sticking to the small confines of GW’s campus.
I swore I would not let myself succumb to the Foggy Bottom Bubble. Coming from a very small town that quite literally shuts down at 8 pm every night,I was beyond excited to move to a city. I vowed to check out a new museum every week, explore all the neighborhoods, and go to every restaurant on the @dcfoodporn Instagram account.
Fast forward 2 years and–spoiler alert–that did not happen.
I definitely knew in the back of my head that I wasn’t taking full advantage of living in D.C. but it didn’t really hit me until I spent a summer here.
Midsummer my two best friends from high school came to visit. It was such a blast showing them around and it really forced me to be a tourist for a weekend. They both go to a large southern school that is very different from GW and they absolutely loved D.C. After a full day of museum hopping, eating, and shopping, one of my friends remarked “There’s so much to do here you must never get bored!”
My first thought was Yikes as I found myself bored somewhat often, but I also knew that she had a great point.
Around this time, I also realized that one of my work friends, who was from Texas and interning in the city for the summer, had done more “D.C.” things in 2 months than I had in my 2 years at GW. She had gone to museums I kept saying I would eventually go to, eaten at restaurants I said I was dying to check out, and explored neighborhoods I had never been to.
This was a serious–and much needed–reality check for how little I was taking advantage of going to school in such a cool place. I promised myself I would make a more conscious effort to follow through with the “D.C.” goals I made freshman year. While I have yet to eat at every restaurant from the D.C. foodstagrams or make museum trips a weekly occurrence, I am proud to say that I actually followed through this time!
Getting off campus does not have to be an elaborate, expensive, or even planned out trip. It can be as easy as studying at a coffee shop other than Gelbucks, or eating in a new neighborhood instead of going to your favorite place on M Street for the tenth time. We are so fortunate to go to school in such an amazing city so why not take full advantage of it!

#HonorsProblems: Learning to Be a Professional

November 21, 2018January 16, 2020General News, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Anshul, an ESIA sophomore studying international affairs and security policy.
We are all here at GWU in the Honors Program for a couple reasons. One, we are intellectually curious students who want to learn in an interdisciplinary manner about the world we inhabit in the city that runs the world. Two, we want a job so we can pay back our absurdly high GWU tuition. Internships are a way that students gain work experience while not being paid, in the hopes that they may get a job in the future.
Coming into my freshmen year, getting an internship was all that I had on my mind so much to the point that I made my first mistake. Lesson number one is learn how to say no. I took a position with an expatriate group that ended up having pretty shady connections which led me to resigning after three weeks. Later on, the United States government informed me that continued work for that organization would have led to me being blacklisted for a security clearance. Washington D.C. is full of people who want smart, capable talent that exists in the Honors Program. You are in much higher demand than you think, so take a beat to assess where you are and what risks you are taking. Learn to say no, and leave short term gain for long term benefit.
The decision to leave the internship was a culmination of lesson two. Lesson two is get mentors and figure out channels of advice. When I started working at the organization, I informed multiple mentors of mine about my decision. Some of them were retired, some of them were young, and some of were senior professionals. They were the ones along with my father who first sounded the alarms about the organization. More recently, I used their advice to navigate a complex situation where I had to negotiate with two government agencies regarding conflicting offers. Washington D.C. is run on institutional knowledge, knowledge that no matter how many books you read you can’t get. Mentors use their years of experience to help you get ahead. Make sure that you develop mentors across different fields, ages, and experience levels.
Lesson three is learn to be responsible for not only your actions, but also your team’s. Personal responsibility is one of the most sought after characteristics in the hiring process. As someone who has held a few positions by now, I know that there are good and bad bosses. I have had both. The key to dealing with bad supervisors is knowing how to accomplish the mission while dealing with a frustrating boss. Interns have low to no influence in the organization that they work. You can go to HR but that rarely results in anything. Instead take charge of projects that aren’t going anywhere. If your boss is making you do administrative work instead of your job description, stay late to meet your actual deadlines. Take work home or speed through the nonsense. You have to be humble and tenacious to make sure that you make the most of the opportunity that you can.
Working is hard and make sure that your schedule can deal with the extra time commitment and stress. The more experience you can get, the better prepared you will be when you graduate and enter the workforce.

#HonorsProblems: Honors RA Life

November 14, 2018January 16, 2020Extracurricular Opportunity, General News, Student Voices

The following blog post was written by Peer Advisor Mark, an SMPA junior studying political communication.
It was a bristling cold afternoon on February 10^th, 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.

Me with my five Honors rezzies who became RAs

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 20^th 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.

#HonorsProblems: Finding a Place for Yourself

November 8, 2018January 16, 2020General News, Student Voices1 Comment

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!

October 31, 2018January 16, 2020General News, Student Voices1 Comment

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

October 24, 2018January 16, 2020General News, Student Voices, Study Abroad

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

October 17, 2018January 16, 2020General News, Research Stories, Student Peer Advisors, Student Voices

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.