This semester had a few pretty eye-opening learning moments. One big one was balancing my photography and banner business with schoolwork, where there were no second chances. Between designing T-shirts and promo stuff for events, and keeping up with class assignments, I learned quickly that I can’t just hope for the best when it comes to time management. It pushed me to get serious about organizing my tasks, setting boundaries, and creating a calendar to organize my days. I realized I can actually handle a lot, but only if I stay focused and continuously plan ahead, which felt really empowering. Another experience that shaped my thinking was exploring potential internships in management. Even though I haven’t started yet, going through the process of researching, preparing applications, and thinking about what job would be a good fit for me in the Sophmore Internship Program I was invited to has been a journey in itself. It made me more excited about applying what I’m learning in class to real-world work and helped me see what I truly enjoy—like communication and management. Even just the prep taught me a lot about my career interests.
One of my biggest strengths is being able to handle a lot of tasks at once. I did a lot of freelance work with my old high school over the past few months and upcoming week, while working at my old job, looking for my new job, and figuring out the logistics of my plans to move out of my childhood home without my parents knowing, all while keeping up with my school work. I've struggled with group work in college. I often had a hard time because I wasn't comfortable with the people in my groups, as I didn't know them, and honestly didn't trust them. This was the first time, in a long time that I was not already well-established in something I was taking part in, making me feel insecure and uncertain. These few months have shown me that my ability to manage multiple responsibilities is a great strength, but improving my teamwork skills in new environments will help me do better in group settings.
The biggest lesson I learned this semester is that balance really matters. I’ve internalized that I don’t need to be involved in everything all at once—sometimes less is more if it means I can actually focus and give my best effort. I would strengthen myself thin because I wanted to take part in everything. Going forward, I want to be intentional about what I commit to, making sure it aligns with my personal interests instead of just saying “yes” to everything. For next semester, I’d remind myself to trust the process and pace myself, my time to shine will come eventually and there’s no need to rush and prove myself right away, while I'm still learning how to be a better person and business women. College is about growth, and that doesn’t happen overnight. By focusing on what matters most, taking my time, and getting things done with quality, not quantity, I will make the most of my college experience.