The summer@Brown program has changed my life forever. When I first arrived at Brown University I was a little bit shy. However, after the first day in class I felt comfortable and started to be myself. I learned that I have to come out of my comfort zone more often so I can experience new things.
I learned so much in and out of class. In class I learned how to become a better leader. I will take everything I learned this summer and apply it to myself so I can make a change in my community. I did my best to represent the WCCUSD and my high school. I gave my best in all my work.
During class I always had an amazing time. We would always do fun and educational activities. These activities were intended to help us get to know each other and ourselves better. They greatly helped me. I was able to be more amiable with all the young women in my class and I got to know what type of leader each person was. I also realized that I am more of the helper and the one who cares for everyone when I'm in a group. It was great to finally find out exactly what type of leader I am and what I need to work on. It definitely opened my eyes and made me look at myself even more.
I tried my best to grab as much information as possible during class. This summer I also learned that I am more of the attentive listener. I loved learning new things! The class was always engaging. Even when I was feeling a little tired from lack of sleep at times, the class always kept me alert and entertained. I learned something new every single day I was at Brown.
Our afternoon activities were always beneficial. This is where I got to know the other girls and myself better. The activities required a lot of trust. Before I went to Brown I was a little afraid to trust others right away. As a child I was taught to be cautious. However, I was able to completely trust everyone there. We all were true leaders who had problems, but that has never held us back. I felt honored to be part of this program.
I also became more comfortable with myself. I never considered myself to be in the best shape to do sports or other activities, but the day at the Ropes Course made me think otherwise. I was able to do every single activity and I had support from my peers too. It felt good to know that everyone wanted me to do well. It encouraged me to continue going on. This is what true teamwork is. I learned that I need to be more open. I always thought that I was an open minded young woman, but I realized that I still can be more open everyday. This has made me see things from a whole new perspective.
I will take others opinions into consideration more often. I learned that it might make someone feel uncomfortable to do certain things and that I have to make sure that they are okay with it first. In the Ropes Course I learned that instead of asking if they are okay I should ask "What can I do to make you feel more comfortable doing this?" I learned that I need to rephrase my words so I can get a better response from someone.
Being with a group of great and intelligent young women really motivated me to do much more. I need to challenge myself in order to get better results. I plan on challenging myself daily. My goal is to try new things so I can help my family, my community, and myself. Everything I learned I will apply it in my community. I will continue helping my family and friends.
My Action Plan is to increase awareness of the different kinds of colleges that there are. Before I was aware of the ILC, my main goal was to apply to a UC. Now that I was given the wonderful opportunity to go to the East Coast and visit different colleges, my mentality has changed. I plan on applying to Brown University and I definitely will look more into other smaller colleges. I never thought that I would like Wellesley College as much as I did. I thank everyone who made this trip possible because it was a true eye opener.
Since I was lucky to be sent to the East Coast and to attend Brown Univerity for two weeks, I want to get other students aware of the different possibilities. I want to encourage my peers at Richmond High School to think of smaller and private colleges too and not just focus on the UC system. I'm not saying that UCs are bad because they aren't, but there is much more than just that. I was able to see that this summer at Brown.
Overall, my trip to the East Coast was beyond amazing. I learned so many new things. I am more confident than ever before and I plan on making a change. I want to thank everyone for giving me the opportunity to go to the East Coast and have a great new learning adventure. I am filled with gratitude therefore I will do my best to give back to my community.
Lucero,
ReplyDeleteAs we go through life we can play it safe or we can venture out in that big ‘unknown’.
The problem with playing it safe is that we stagnate—we stay in one place. We become complacent, Lucero. After a while, though, we stop seeking answers. We stop seeking answers because we stop asking the questions.
Some people are perfectly fine living this way, Lucero, but others of us feel the constant need to learn more—to experience more. And we can’t do this from within our comfort zone. We need to branch out, seek new ideas and embrace the unknown.
As we move up in the world and attend institutes of higher learning like Brown University, much like the Ivy League Connection, almost everything you’re involved with is designed to move you forward, to open your eyes to new ideas and concepts. These past couple of weeks have been a crash course for you in new and exciting ways to move yourself forward., Even better, though, is that it’s helped you to see your own leadership skills so you can take others with you on this new adventure.
One thing I noticed in reading all of this year’s blogs was how tired most of you seemed to be. Napping and oversleeping seemed to be rampant. I have to wonder how much can be attributed to the change of time zone and how much to the relative lack of regular physical activity that young people are involved with these days. Studies have shown that when people are physically active their mental acuity is enhanced.
Isn’t it amazing, Lucero, what we can accomplish when we surround ourselves with people who are supportive and nurturing? Don’t you see back here at home that we often find that it’s just the opposite? For whatever reason—petty jealousies, apathy, ethnic/religious/gender differences—we find people who would rather spend their efforts to find ways to keep things from happening rather than finding ways to make them happen.
You’ve done a wonderful job, Lucero, in making the best use of the opportunities that have been offered to you. There’s a lot more in store for you so now is not the time to close your eyes or go back into that world of complacency. Reach out for bigger and better things, Lucero. You know that there’s more good things waiting for you but it will still be up to you to reach out and embrace them.