Well, here we are! The trip has come to a close. As I sit in Schiphol airport with my cold brew latte and a view of a massive KLM plane ahead of me I can’t help but be in awe of the 4-week experience I just had. It wasn’t a perfect experience, but it did allow me to understand the value of learning skills rather than stressing about specific content.
Skill 1: I deserve to believe in myself and my abilities
I anticipated that there would be some sort of divide between undergraduates and graduate students based solely on the fact that we have different academic experiences that bond us with our respective groups. I wondered if the graduate students would hesitate to view me and the rest of the undergraduates as their equals and peers because we were not in their academic program with the same academic focus. Rather than letting this fear keep me from participating, I pushed myself to participate and contribute to class discussions even, and especially, when I didn’t really know what was going on. There were lots of moments where terminology went straight over my head or concepts were dull from my perspective, but I really tried to engage so that I could show myself, my peers, and trip leaders that I was capable of participating and collaborating no matter the context. My high school and early college experiences and classes have helped me gain many transferable academic and social skills, and it is validating to be able to apply these skills to traveling and thinking about high level concepts and readings. I have so much more to learn both in the academic world and beyond, but this trip has reassured me that I am capable of taking on new challenges and striving to achieve my loftiest goals.
Skill 2: Believing in yourself and your skills doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask for help
This skill is really pointed at my navigational skills. As one of the few people who had an international data plan I often used Google Maps to get us from point A to point B. Navigation and directions aren’t my strengths, but I felt responsible in these moments to get us where we needed to go, and often this resulted in me reluctantly asking for help from my friends. It was occasionally embarrassing to do so because it seemed like everyone else was capable of a skill that I had yet to master, but asking for help is part of the learning process and I understand that it’s more effective to ask for help and get to the right place rather than be too proud to ask and end up in the wrong place. I asked for help many times on this trip, and each time it was worth it. Asking for help is a crucial example of effective collaboration, and I plan to bring this mindset and understanding back with me to the classroom and my on-campus endeavors.
I am so grateful for all of the experiences I had and the people I met on this trip. I made some lifelong friendships, built up my self confidence, and became more aware of my own interests and the skills that I have and still need to cultivate.
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