Semester Reflections

Semester 2

This semester was super stressful and tiring for me. I was originally very distant from my TAs but over time, when Jordyn would check up on me and tell me that I could reach out whenever to her, made me want to try to be more social. The main issues I had with making connections was that I was super shy and I had trouble connecting to others. What makes making connections easier is that all the TAs are there to support you and they are eager to be your friend. For me, the challenges are personal. Personally, I have trouble reaching out but the Arts Scholars faculty made me feel more comfortable. I recommend for future students to not be afraid to reach out because everyone is there to help you. I think I’ve used my artistic interests to connect with other students because everyone in the department is interested in some kinds of art. I have had many conversations with different students that started out by talking about their artworks. My relationships with some students have helped me adjust because I made friends that had a similar interest as me. The greatest obstacle in pursuing these relationships was how I am a very shy person and tend to find it very challenging to approach someone new to start a conversation. I believe that next year's freshmens can make the best use of their connections with their peers by keeping in mind that everyone there is new and looking for new connections as well, so they shouldn’t be afraid to reach out first. Based on my personal experiences, the Arts Scholars program fosters community and artistic engagement because through art, I was able to connect with others and I was able to still continue a form of art throughout college. I might continue to contribute to the Arts Scholars in the future by continuing to have this outlook of community. My understanding and appreciation of art has been impacted by Arts Scholars this year by showing me all different forms of art. For example, crochet, music sampling, etc. The way incoming Art Scholars freshman get the most out of their experience in the program is honestly just reaching out and finding new creative aspects in life.