Portfolio Reflection #1 

1st Honors Portfolio Reflection - Fall Quarter Freshman Year 

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I came to UW with a set of expectations for my first quarter at university. I had expected that with having only three classes instead of seven, I would be able to manage my time well. I also expected that although I would be busy, I would have a lot more independence to try out new hobbies and interests. In some ways, university is exactly what I expected it to be. I have a lot of independence to cook my own meals, explore places around me, and build my schedule based on my needs and interests. However, in other ways, coming to UW has been full of surprises. Adjusting to coursework while balancing social life and extracurriculars has been challenging. In high school, managing my classes required some effort but it was relatively easier and more structured. Over the last few weeks, I have realized that it requires more effort now to structure my day around homework, classes, and social activities. Without using tools like Google Calendar and a physical planner, it would be almost impossible for me to get my work done. I also have noticed that studying for my classes is not as straightforward as it was in high school. To prepare for my midterms and quizzes, I have to be cognizant of what content to prioritize and how to study with a group of people. I am grateful for the abundance of resources at the UW that make it easier for students to seek academic help. After I learned that I did not do very well on my Chemistry midterm, I scheduled a meeting with an academic coach who helped me come up with better strategies to manage my time. I am still exploring which study strategies work best for me but meeting with an academic coach provided some much needed guidance. I also started attending tutoring sessions more to get help on any questions I had in class. 

I have been more successful at meeting my goal of meeting new people and finding community. Through club meetings, I have been able to meet other queer students of color and learn about their experiences which is one of the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year. I have also been able to explore other major options within the College of Engineering through undergraduate research and workshops like the HuskyADAPT workshop on making toys more inclusive. One of my goals for the future is to explore more resources at UW that relate to mental health. For example, I want to take yoga classes so that I can prioritize my physical health. I also want to try out short term counseling so that I can learn about ways to cope with a heavy workload. For the Honors program, my goal is to learn more about the structure of Honors classes by the end of the year and get a better understanding of how I can explore more interdisciplinary opportunities within the Honors program. Now that I know what the requirements are for the Honors program, I can better plan out my schedule for the next four years. I do want to investigate further how a potential minor in Public Policy fits in with both the Honors program and the College of Engineering. Additionally, I also hope to make the most of the Honors Peer Mentorship Program by meeting with my peer mentor often and learning more about her experiences in the Honors program. One of my goals for the next few months is to meet more students in the Honors program and learn about their experiences and backgrounds.

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Word Count:  603

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