Walking into a new class during college can be scary. Every semester you get a fresh set of classes usually filled with strangers or people you vaguely know.
This past semester I decided to dive head first into a 400 level class in my major. I had never been more nervous for a class than I was to start this one. As a first semester junior, I feared I would be out of place in a class of graduating seniors.
As I walked in on the first day I saw a few vaguely familiar faces and chose a seat towards the front. I had heard amazing things about the professor and immediately knew why when she walked in. I expected to go over the typical syllabus filled with deadlines and test dates, but there wasn't one. From that moment on I knew the class was going to shake things up for me.
The assignments we completed were nothing like any others I had been assigned in the past. They stretched my thinking and took me out of my comfort zone. I definitely needed a little push to do just that. Once I started putting my whole self into them though I didn't stop. I wanted to do more and more. The professor made me want to better myself for my future.
I began exploring all my career options, even ones that are slightly outside of my industry scope. I started taking steps toward accomplishing all of my goals. I stopped waiting for my dreams to come to me and started making my way to them. After a whole semester of empowerment, encouragement, and learning ways to better myself I could not feel more ready to take on the next chapter of my life.
One of the assignments required reading a self-help book of our choice. I chose "Leave Your Mark" by Aliza Licht which is one of the most impactful books I have ever read. The content was so real and in your face which gave me a whole new perspective on how to navigate the next steps in my life. After picking the information apart to present to the class I couldn't wait to share the knowledge I had gained with my classmates.
College is a place for expanding your mind and this class definitely did that. Thank you to my classmates for making my experience so amazing, but I would especially like to thank the professor for having such a positive impact on my life.
