As a senior, I reflect on my e-Portfolio with pride. Through the Honors College and Longwood’s general education program, I have had opportunities to take a myriad of interesting courses. Even if the course was not obviously relevant to my career path, each one helped me develop as a scholar and a citizen leader. The ability to broaden my horizons during my undergraduate education is something I will never take for granted.
Fortunately, many of my Honors courses were related to my major and goals. My decision to take an Honors section of Children’s Literature led to me eventually declaring a minor in the subject, which I have found immensely rewarding. Additionally, my ENGL 400 section in South Africa taught me about catering to new and different audiences. Although I have a firm grasp on this due to my Rhetoric and Professional Writing concentration, this time I wrote for internationally mobile children, which is something I had never done before.
Looking back on my letter to my senior self, written immediately following my freshman year, I am elated over the progress I have made. Much of my freshman year consisted of lengthy depressive episodes, anxiety about the future, and feeling generally out of place at Longwood. Today, I manage my stress significantly better, continue to challenge myself academically and personally, and found my home at Longwood. Though I often wish I had adjusted sooner and been happier during my freshman year, I now realize that the way it happened made me stronger and gave me coping skills I previously lacked. Additionally, although my freshman self had no clue what she wanted to do, I finally made the decision to get my PhD and become a college professor. Truthfully, I wanted to do this throughout my freshman year, but was too scared to commit to the idea because I lacked confidence in myself and independence.
