Husky 100 Portfolio
After many months of deliberation, lengthy nights talking to my parents, tears of sadness, tears of joy, and countless emails, I was finally able to accept my offer to attend the University of Washington. Before August 2020 I had resigned myself to attending a university I did not want to go to. I retired my University of Washington sweatshirt. A sweatshirt that once held the hope of new opportunities. Though, I wouldn't be sharing this story if that was the end. Almost 12 days before I was scheduled to attend the other university, I received the second best email of my life (right after my acceptance letter to the University of Washington). I received the Honors Program Scholarship. I was now able to afford the school of my dreams. I immediately started calling every person I could think of. In a rush of ecstasy I cancelled all of my plans to attend the other university before I could even tell my parents. These photos were taken the very next day. I dusted off the sweatshirt that had only until recently been a sign of bitter sadness. I unraveled my flag and waved it with pride on a mountaintop near my house. Looking at these photos months later I can see the utter joy on my face. Very few times in my life have I smiled with such brightness, and that sunny day on a mountaintop exhibits one such example.
CHEM 143: Accelerated General Chemistry
College is not all sunshine and rainbows though. Anyone could tell you that. Even after many hours of studying and practice problems, I still received this score. I'm not happy I received this score. Though, I am grateful for the lesson I procured from it. Going into college my ideology was just to keep to myself and study all I could, just like in high school. I though my methods were foolproof, but boy was I in for a major shock. When I received this scored I was devastated. I couldn't fathom doing this terrible on a test. After this test I reached out to my professor and was guided to some resources that I could utilize. I had never done something of that caliber before. I took his advice and began attending office hours more along with watching pre-videos. My next score was still not as exceptional as it could have been, but I was able to obtain a score higher than the class average. I used to hate seeing this score. It reminded me of my first awful exam grade I had received, but now I see it as a wonderful lesson that will make me more successful in my school endeavors in the future.
CW: This video may be disturbing to some viewers
PHLEBOTOMY
Turns out college just wasn't enough school for me. During this quarter I was able to complete my phlebotomy certification. Anyone who knows me would find this feat absolutely outstanding. Before I entered this class I would pass out at the site of needles. Now I donate blood on a regular basis and have taken blood more times than I can count. This class was an utter joy to me. Originally, I took this class for the purpose of determining if the medical field was for me. The more I learned the more I loved it. All of it is so fascinating. The action of taking blood, the types of tests that can be performed, examining blood under a microscope, even centrifuging the blood. Learning science is enjoyable, but there is something just so exhilarating about being able to put what you've learned into practice. I am so excited for the prospect of using this skill in the work place.
UW FROM HOME
This home office has been my classroom for the past 7 months. I graduate high school in this classroom, and made the big leap into college here as well. While it is obviously not UW, I have tried to decorate it in a way that brings me closer to my University. Sometimes I forget these circumstances aren't normal. If I told my past self all the adaptations I am making during these monumentous transition I would have been astonished. Hopefully by spring this office will turn back into a family office that rarely gets used, and I'll be strolling to my classes under the canopy of rose-colored cherry blossoms. .
