Today’s #HonorsProblems post is written by graduating senior Eleanor Klibanoff.
My name is Eleanor, but you might know me as the girl at the front desk. (Or maybe as the future champion of the ultimate Crab Rangoon Showdown of 2014.) I’m a senior, working part-time and socializing full-time at the Honors townhouse on Foggy Bottom. It might surprise you to know that I haven’t always been so involved with the UHP.
I didn’t live in Honors housing freshman year, and didn’t hang out around the townhouse. I worked my hours and attended some events, but in general, I felt a little intimidated. Everyone seemed like they already had their honors friends from their dorm or classes, and I had kind of missed that boat. That was fine—I joined other groups and met other people. The UHP was a work-study job and a place to take classes. That was all they promised, after all.
My freshman year was fun and easy, something not everyone can say. That’s why my sophomore slump came as such a surprise. Classes were harder than ever, and I started to fall behind. I was living with different people and felt like I was losing touch with old friends. I spent more time in bed watching Netflix, and less time having the massive amounts of fun that I imagined occupied everyone else on this campus.
I was feeling pretty low a lot of the time, but like most 19-year-olds, I didn’t want to ask for help. What would I do? Wander into a therapist’s office and say I’d been feeling ‘meh’ for a while? That’s not something a therapist could help with, I thought. (Honors kids can be dumb too, apparently.) I was just—off.
But eventually, I did see someone at the University Counseling Center who told me to get out bed and go out more. Be social, she said. Participate in your own life!
That seemed like the most obvious (and secretly scary) advice in the world. Go out more? Be social? Participate? By this point, I was more inclined to get back under the covers and stay there than to participate. But I knew I had to try. And the first step of that effort took me to the front door of the Honors townhouse.
I didn’t know many people in the program personally. They weren’t my best friends; at most, I recognized some of them from class. But they were there—all the time. There’s a student staffing the front desk every day. Jared is willing to talk so much you can’t hear your own thoughts. Professors swing by to talk about their classes, SPA hang up signs for events and club room events spill into the front office.
Spend enough time there and you simply become part of the community. Before long, Eydie took notice if I was having a bad day and we’d talk. Or she’d offer a cookie, which can sometimes be enough. Catherine would stop by and offer advice, which felt far less intimidating than making a whole appointment. Upperclassmen told me their own stories of sophomore slumps, and then told me how much better it gets. I stood at the big map with a senior and picked a place to run away for the summer. And then we talked about places everyone had traveled, how they funded it, and what it would be like to just…go.
There, at 714 21st St., the Honors Program put me back together, a slow process that took a village. We all need people to talk to, people to put us back together. I highly recommend starting at the townhouse.
Make an appointment with Catherine and Mark, the trained professionals. But when you do, come early and stay after. And make sure to take advantage of study hours. Come hang out. Eat cookies. Drink coffee. Do homework. Bring friends.
We’ll talk about study abroad, and homework problems, and post-grad life, and argue about whether Game of Thrones or House of Cards has more applicable lessons of political maneuvering in the modern world. We’ll talk about your feelings, or we won’t. We’ll talk about cookies and One Direction. We’ll talk about fixing your sophomore slump, and I’ll tell you how much better it gets. We’ll stand at the map and pick places to go.
There are some problems the townhouse can’t fix, I know. But if you feel yourself going into a dark place, or a dimly lit place, or a slightly less sunny place, just remember: you can always, always come home.
Tag: AY1314
GW Troubadours Spring Concert
Join us for an evening of love, laughs, and a cappella at our annual SPRING CONCERT! Coming out of Battle of the A Capellas with the award for Best Soloists, the Troubs are ready to celebrate with their fans and friends with a kick-ass show. We’ll be debuting some brand new arrangements and singing some old favorites, all while bidding our graduating seniors a fond farewell.
Friday, May 2 at 7:30pm
The United Church (20th & G St, NW)
Free admission to all GW students.
ABOUT THE TROUBS: The GW Troubadours is a co-ed a cappella group here at The George Washington University. We sing a collection of genres and artists, from John Legend and Sara Bareilles to Coldplay and The Fray. Over the last couple of years, we have performed at events big and small – from the Republican Presidential Primary Debate at Constitution Hall, to The White House, and even to American Idol!
From Bolivia-And Elsewhere-With Love [Study Ablog]
Today’s study ablog post is written by Sophia Lin, a junior in the UHP studying abroad in Vietnam, Morocco, AND Bolivia!
As I’m studying abroad in three distinct countries each – on a different continent, it’s no wonder that many of my perceptions of how the world works, from the most mundane ideas to greater overarching societal ones, have all been challenged and presented with alternative discourses and realities. It has been an incredible journey. From spending two weeks in San Francisco, and about a month each in Vietnam, Morocco, and Bolivia, I’ve had the chance to see up close and personal the impacts of climate change on people, land, and food, as well as on water and energy resources.
Here are just a few of my small reflections on some of the cultures I’ve had the chance to be a part of:
Vietnam
Beyond being slightly intimidated by my daily commute to classes amidst a sea of motorbikes, there were much more thought-provoking things to observe. What really struck me and humbled me was the ambience of kindness and hospitality that everyone showed us Americans, despite such a painful and broken history with the United States from what we call the Vietnam War, as well as French colonization. It was also intense to feel the palpable fervor of rapid economic development – noisy construction, pollution, and stark disparities of the rural ethnic villages in the mountains, rice farmers in the Mekong Delta “breadbasket” south, and humble fresh produce sellers in the market, compared to the modernizing, urbanizing, fast-moving cities like Hanoi.
Morocco
One of the very culturally immersive experiences I had in Morocco was going to the hammam, or bathing house, with two other girls on the program. All women of all ages and sizes clean themselves in this communal environment. Inside the hammam, you receive a large bucket to fill with water from the ever-running fountain, and a small stool to sit on as you wash yourself. It seems so ironic that in Western culture, women can wear short-shorts, crop tops, and bikinis, yet actual nudity is taboo and shameful. Conversely, in the Islamic country of Morocco, women are mostly covered in head-scarves and long robes, yet are free to be fully naked and bathe together. There is no awkwardness or embarrassment in seeing yourself and others naked. In fact, there are even massagers or body scrubbers who, for a small fee, will plop you over their lap like a limp noodle and scrub down every corner of your body.
Bolivia
I’ve just touched down in Bolivia for this final leg of my study abroad program, and I’m excited to see what adventures await. Until next time, UHP!
Today is April 30th….
Do you know what that means about tomorrow?
Honors students know that one of the first things to do in May is enjoy the Honors Student-Faculty Dinner! Have you purchased your ticket yet?
GW Hillel to be Honors Program neighbor in Foggy Bottom townhouse!
Did you see the Hatchet Blog Post announcing GW Hillel moving in with us in Foggy Bottom? It’s true!
But don’t worry about losing the best place to study during finals: UHP space isn’t being changed at all.
GW Hillel will be in the three offices currently occupied by the Global Women’s Institute on the second floor of the townhouse at 714 21st Street, NW. (The GWI office is heading out to a new space of their own at GW.) The Office of International Programs will continue to be on the 3rd floor.
Science Open House at the UHP [Snacks and Science]
Professor Houston Miller and his Science and Discovery Climate class look forward to presenting the C02 sensors they have created throughout the semester. They have designed wireless C02 monitors and have stationed them throughout GW to demonstrate the varying levels of C02 present on our campus.
11:15am-12:45pm on Tuesday, April 29th, 2014 in the UHP Club Room at 714 21st St. NW.
Stop by, grab a snack, and see the science your friends have been working on all semester!
Get Your Student-Faculty Dinner Tickets Today!
Wait, it’s almost time for the Student-Faculty dinner?? When is it?
Rebecca Black, Friday is a whole day! What time?
Ryan! We’ve been over this. 4:30-7:30!
Isn’t that a whole extra hour of Chalins than usual?
Thanks, Obama. What can I expect if I show up?
(Less pizza, more Chinese, Liz.)
How much will this extravaganza cost me?
Kanye, stop making it rain. All-you-care-to-eat for $5!
Only $5?? Why does the UHP do this?
Run, don’t walk, to the Townhouse or Ames office to buy your ticket today!
Thinking about grad school? Get a head start with a dual-degree from GW!
Thinking about grad school? Get a head start with a dual-degree from GW!
Sophomore year, as I was completing yet another four year plan, I realized that I had a lot of room in my schedule. I didn’t want to graduate early, so I considered adding another major, going abroad for a full year (instead of one semester), but ultimately decided on pursuing a dual-degree program.
GW has a variety of dual-degree programs. As a Political Science major, I considered a few different degrees. For most dual-degree programs you apply during your spring semester junior year. As a junior, I was recently accepted into the dual-degree program by the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration pursing a Master of Public Administration.
Why a dual degree? There are several reasons I am very excited to start completing my master at GW senior year. First, I’m excited to have a new academic challenge senior year that has me reengage in my academics. Second, I feel a sense of relief as a junior that I already have a plan for after senior year. Finally, I’m excited to stay with GW. After exploring some different schools, GW appeals to be for the same reasons that it did as an undergraduate. The city has an immense amount of opportunities to intern and gain more experience while pursuing a degree.
Save time and money! There is along list of other considerations that made a dual-degree program the right choice for me. A couple other things to consider are the financial and time benefits. Because of my undergraduate scholarship and how requirements double count between my BA and MPA, I’m saving money. Additionally, I’m very excited about going straight through. After going abroad and experiencing a different type of learning, I got a taste of what stopping and then reemerging in academics felt like. It was hard to get back in the swing of things, and I’m glad to be going straight through to graduate school to pursue a degree that I know I what and will serve me well in my career.
Recommendations: Talk to people! Of course. Talk with our UHP advisors. Talk with other UHP students. Talk with the liaison of the program your thinking about. Also, if you’re seriously considering it, make sure you understand the requirements (particularly the standardized test requirement). Requirements vary from program to program and you don’t want a silly test to stand in the way of you and this great opportunity.
Baking and Bonding Events with the SPA!
SPA Kate Kozak is organizing a few bonding events for UHPers today and this coming Monday!
1) Friday (today!), 4/25, we’ll be holding a Bake ‘n’ Take in the West Hall kitchen in the honors hall— we’ll take over and be doing all sorts of baking/decorating from 7pm to about 9pm, or for people with less time, they can drop off things or come to feast. Think of it like a bake sale, but without having to pay for the goodies. Added bonus- use up all that sugar and flour you have hanging around your kitchen, or experiment on that crazy digestive biscuit recipe you’ve been thinking about but haven’t gotten around to.
2) Monday, 4/28, we’ll be holding a Letter-Writing Event in the Townhouse. There will be paper and assorted writing materials available to write a letter of thanks or appreciation to your favorite Honors community member, or draw a pretty picture for your fridge. The Club Room will be ours from 4 until 6, but materials will be in the townhouse all day!
The Sotomayor Style [Good Article]
Prof. David Fontana , University Honors Program Faculty Fellow for 2013-2014, says that Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s stirring dissent in the recent case involving affirmative action shows why she’s a national treasure. From the New Republic article:
Sotomayor’s dissent suggests that she can uniquely communicate with the regular public via her written opinions as well. Let’s call this the “Sotomayor Style,” and for liberals it could be strategically significant.
Click through for the full article!
