Year in Review 2016-2017
Sophomore Year. Sophomore year is vastly different than freshman year. You are no longer the new kid and you have your friends and academic journey established for the most part. This past year has been one of the best of my life for numerous reasons. Whether my experiences were positive or negative, I learned from them and am closer to becoming the person I want to be. I was transformed this past year mainly by my group of friends, my co-op, and my campus involvement.
My friends are some of the most important people in my life. They challenge me and encourage me to be the best version of myself at all times. Throughout sophomore year, I spent endless hours with the people in my learning community. I have several best friends in my learning community who have truly helped shape me into the person I am today. We studied together, laughed together, and cried together. No matter what we were going through, we were there for each other and pushed each other to succeed. I am so thankful for them and I can't wait to see where the next couple of years takes us.
Second, I had a co-op this past spring at Ernst & Young. I worked as an audit intern and served a variety of clients in a variety of locations. I loved the teams I worked with because they developed me as a business professional and as an auditor. I learned so much from them and cultivated my client business skills with their help. But, the experience taught me that I am not cut out for auditing. The process of auditing is very methodical and meticulous. The process is predefined, so there is no creativity involved. I am a very creative, outgoing person, so I realized that I needed something different. So, this fall I will be co-oping at a marketing or consulting firm. I am grateful that my experience at EY pointed me in the right career direction.
Finally, my campus involvement throughout the past year has had a monumental impact on my life. I spent the most of my free time with Lindner Student Association, Camp Kesem, and ROAR Tour Guides. Lindner Student Association is an organization I have been involved with since my freshman year. I have held a plethora of leadership positions for the organization and am currently the Internal VP. My favorite memory from the past year was our mission trip to New Orleans, LA. Everyone who went was very different, but we bonded and became best friends by the end of the week. We built a house, which was a very powerful experience. Next, Camp Kesem is a free, student-run camp for children who are suffering through a parent's cancer. We are a first year chapter at UC and have exceeded all of our expectations. We are all passionate about the cause and have dedicated hundreds of hours to plan the camp and complete our fundraising goal of $30,000. I love the organization and am excited for camp this summer! Finally, I love being a ROAR tour guide. I gush about UC and my wonderful experience to every family I meet. It is a wonderful feeling knowing that I am helping kids make their first important decision. UC is an incredible school and it is extremely rewarding to have the privilege of expressing that to families of all backgrounds. I will continue my involvements into next year and will definitely take on new involvements.
Sophomore year definitely changed me for the better and helped me figure out my academic plan and helped me strengthen the important relationships in my life. I have come to understand the importance of campus involvement and how it truly does shape your college experience. I look forward to my Junior year. I will be studying abroad in the spring, which will be an amazing experience. I want to travel more and have the opportunity to meet new people and learn about different walks of life. I want to better myself as a person and develop into the business professional, friend, and family member I want to be by the end of my college journey.