It's Been an Adventure

I can't pinpoint the exact moments during this journey that specifically changed me, it was more of a gradual process. I was not sure what to expect at the beginning of these two and a half weeks, I certainly did not think they would have a great impact on me, but I couldn't have been more wrong. I have learned incredibly useful skills through this experience, such as successful time management, collaboration, responsibility, and yes, how to do my laundry. 

At times everything was a bit overwhelming, it took a while to find that balance between class, extracurricular's, and spending time exploring or with friends. I learned the consequences of sacrificing sleep and stretching myself too thin, and how they disabled me from making the most out of each day.

The biggest thing I noticed during all of this was that I felt happier than I had in a long time, it made me realize that the one thing that affected my mood the most was my surroundings and reminded me of the benefits to surrounding myself with positivity. Everyone I met through the ILC and Women and Leadership were so passionate and motivating that their spirits were contagious. 

My class taught me how to be a better person and allowed me to look at the world through a different lens. I genuinely feel that if everyone I know had the opportunity to take it, we would be living in a much more forgiving and open society. I enjoyed and looked forward to class everyday because of how engaging it was and how everyone was happy to be there and whole-hardheartedly participated. 

I learned about the roots of problems in our society and how to solve them, Mary Grace gave us the tools we needed to embrace leadership positions and allowed us to reach our own conclusions and think for ourselves. I love how the class ran on conversation and discussion instead of us sitting down, being talked at. The afternoon workshops re-taught me what I should know but seem to have forgotten. From Kisa I gained knowledge on how to be an active listener.

The diversity workshops showed me it was okay to be vulnerable and open because that was part of being human. It helped me realize how our different experiences shape us as people and that it only takes the slightest similarities to bring us together. The challenge course pushed me to expand my comfort zone and become closer to my team-mates.

Overall I have become a more confident, patient, and honest person. I am extremely grateful for this incredible opportunity and am very excited to begin implementing my action plan and everything I have learned from this adventure. My perspective of the world around me is infinitely wider and I see the doors that have been opened for me because of it.