Learning Statement
I always tell myself to follow Anne Lamott’s advice when beginning written assignments. “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts,” she says. “You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something – anything – down on paper.” But as I sit in front of my computer, hands poised above the keys to begin this reflection, each sentence I type refuses to stick on the page. It isn’t exactly writers block. There are things I want to say, people to thank, and experiences I want to cement in writing. My thoughts keep flitting from memory to memory, pausing briefly on each image, emotion, and snippet of conversation, but not quite knowing where to settle.
Long bus rides to and from
campus freshman year. The
hum of traffic. Rain pelting That jittery late night studying
the windows. Watching seats for two back-to-back
empty until I climbed off at midterms, powered by a 20oz
the final stop. Monster Zero Ultra (by far the
most tolerable flavor), pretzels,
and "My Shot" playing on
repeat...
Realizing that learning is
much easier when you are
able to admit what you ...And falling asleep for an hour,
do not already know. curled in a sunny patch in the
middle of the Quad about a
minute after the second
The endless stream of photos midterm ended.
of my chubby Teddy
Female professors, Roosevelt terrier sent by my
researchers, graduate parents when I was stressed
students, and friends or sad or just because I
who have proven time missed him.
and again that women Iced coffees to begin the
belong and can make mornings. Hot mugs of... more
waves in academia. coffee to keep me awake
most nights.
There is no metaphor or analogy which perfectly describes the beginning, middle, and end of my journey at UW. I don’t think I was ever on a clear flight path or running a long, twisting marathon. I just have an eclectic album of memories stored in my brain, the photos on my phone, scribbled in pages of notes, and the annotations in my favorite book of poetry. So have a look at some of these snapshots by taking a glimpse through my portfolio! Each entry is grouped with related experiences, but really, each is just a reflection on some class or lab or moment that added a layer to who I am, so jump around to wherever your eyes land. There’s no need to go in order!
Long bus rides to and from
campus freshman year. The
hum of traffic. Rain pelting That jittery late night studying
the windows. Watching seats for two back-to-back
empty until I climbed off at midterms, powered by a 20oz
the final stop. Monster Zero Ultra (by far the
most tolerable flavor), pretzels,
and "My Shot" playing on
repeat...
Realizing that learning is
much easier when you are
able to admit what you ...And falling asleep for an hour,
do not already know. curled in a sunny patch in the
middle of the Quad about a
minute after the second
The endless stream of photos midterm ended.
of my chubby Teddy
Female professors, Roosevelt terrier sent by my
researchers, graduate parents when I was stressed
students, and friends or sad or just because I
who have proven time missed him.
and again that women Iced coffees to begin the
belong and can make mornings. Hot mugs of... more
waves in academia. coffee to keep me awake
most nights.
There is no metaphor or analogy which perfectly describes the beginning, middle, and end of my journey at UW. I don’t think I was ever on a clear flight path or running a long, twisting marathon. I just have an eclectic album of memories stored in my brain, the photos on my phone, scribbled in pages of notes, and the annotations in my favorite book of poetry. So have a look at some of these snapshots by taking a glimpse through my portfolio! Each entry is grouped with related experiences, but really, each is just a reflection on some class or lab or moment that added a layer to who I am, so jump around to wherever your eyes land. There’s no need to go in order!