Om Sahaym
Autumn 2021
I was equal parts nervous and excited when I arrived on campus for the first time, but I think it has gone well so far!
Artifacts
I knew that the UW campus was big, but I don't think I fully understood how big it was until I arrived. With so many things going on, I was a little worried about how I would fit in, meet people, and make friends. Though nervous, I decided to go to some Dawg Daze events. At the Dubs' Challenge, I was able to hang out with a bunch of new people while also exploring campus and completing tasks. While my team didn't win the grand prize of Mariners tickets (we were just one task away!), I left that afternoon feeling more confident about navigating campus, literally and metaphorically. The picture is of my team completing the Big W Challenge!
I felt pressure to do well in BIOL 180 both because I am a prospective biology major and because BIOL 180 is usually taken by sophomores who are more used to the pace of STEM weed out classes. As a result, I was quite stressed about my first ever college test. I studied more than I usually did for tests, so I felt confident about the material. But as I went through the exam, I began freaking out because of its length and the explanations that were required. I barely finished the test in time and was sure I did poorly. However, I was shocked when I got the test back and saw that I got a 97! This experience taught me that in college, tests are just harder; I won't feel confident on everything, but I shouldn't stress as long as I feel confident about the material. One thing that I need to keep improving on is simulating a test environment while doing the practice problems. I didn't do that for the second test as much as I did for the first and third, and my confidence level (and score) varied accordingly.
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P.S. I wanted to give a shoutout to Tate and Ali for helping me study, work through the exams, and enjoy biology!
One of my goals in college was to be exposed to new perspectives and grow as a learner and thinker. I never would have thought I would have learned so much from the just my first quarter! In my Honors class called "Play and Material Culture", I have learned so much about how the materiality and design of things, toys, and games shape their message and how they are used. I can't stop seeing aspects of this in my daily life, and it has given me a better understanding of how humans function in conjunction with objects. My Comparative Literature class, called "Southern Queers, Southern Fears," has also been a powerful learning experience. Through the analysis of monstrous representations of minorities and women in Caribbean and Southern US literature and film, I have become more critical of existing power structures and their historical development. I've included a writing sample from each class to show what I have been thinking about; I hope to further expand my perspective in future quarters!
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Reflecting back on C LIT 240: This class added a lot to my analysis toolbox, including how to analyze readings and media through different lenses (feminist, queer, intersecting with post-colonial etc.). As a writer, I learned how to follow threads of analysis during initial reading and drafting phases until arriving at an interesting conclusion or argument instead of searching for a ‘correct’ interpretation. But by far the most important effect of this class was in my thinking. Professor AM introduced me to the way different epistemes clash with each other and to how different identities can cause intersectional lived experiences (merging lenses). I still use this framework while understanding the role of the university and why people feel they don’t belong in educational and other societal institutions, which I hope to continue doing in my career.
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One way I've gotten involved at UW is Terry Hall Council. In my role as Assistant Director for Representation, I manage the floor representatives as well as the representatives for external committees. As a member of the Executive Board (pictured to the right!) I also lead committees that are planning certain parts of the events. Hall Council has been a great way for me to gain more leadership experience as well as feeling more connected to the other people in Terry Hall. So far, we've had one event, a pancake breakfast-for-dinner that went really well, and we have many more planned!
Reflection
For Honors 100, I wrote a reflection on the quarter, including my thoughts about how I am managing my work-life balance and how Honors has helped me so far