Getting Involved

While I had the friends to keep me occupied, I wanted to be busy in a different way, so about two months into my first semester, I applied for a job on campus. Prior to coming to UW, I had never worked a day in my life, so you can imagine how that job interview went. But somehow, they gave me the job, and I started working at Elements Café in the Classroom Building. 

 

While it was definitely a learning experience, it kept me busy. It got me interacting with people I probably would have never met just walking around campus. This job helped me come out of my shell even more. I had to talk to so many people every day, I had to learn how to ask for help (because believe me, I needed it), and it taught me discipline.  

 

After my first semester at UW, I applied for a new job in Institutional Marketing. As a marketing major, this job was right up my alley. When I got the call that I got the job, I had never been so excited. This job pushed me out of my comfort zone even more, and I met so many great faculty, students, and staff.  

 

It's always a good laugh when someone tells me, “Hey, I saw your face on the TikTok page!” because I would have never expected that to be part of my college experience. Between filming videos, interviewing students, and creating content, I've gotten the opportunity to see parts of UW that I probably never would have otherwise. 

 

In my first year, I have had two jobs at UW that helped me grow in ways I didn't expect. They gave me confidence, helped me meet people, and made UW a place where I not only feel like I can grow, but where people will help me grow too.  

Lessons learned

If there is one thing I learned from transferring, it is that it always works out. When I decided, I was transferring to UW I had no idea what I was doing and while I was excited for something new, I was still sad to be leaving where I was, and that’s okay. I rolled with excitement for as long as I could, but I won’t lie, the fall was hard. There were many times I wanted to go home and felt like I made the wrong choice coming here, but time showed me that I didn’t. Not every day has to be perfect, you’re allowed to be homesick and miss what you had at home. But I had to remember what I gained by leaving home. I met so many amazing people that were with me and understood me when I had my doubts. I learned how to put myself out there and connect in a new place. I learned growth happens when you’re uncomfortable. Almost every good thing that came out of my transfer experience started with me doing some small but scary action.

 

Moving across the country, walking into classes where I didn’t know anyone, and applying for jobs I wasn’t sure I was qualified for, all of it felt intimidating at first. But then each of those moments helped me become more assured and more independent over time. Most importantly I learned things about myself that I would have never learned if I stayed at home. So, I guess you could say I found myself in Wyoming.  

The best decision i never planned for

If I could give a transfer student one piece of advice, it would be to give it time. Not everything is going to be perfect right away, you’re going to go through ups and downs, and have your skeptics, but there is a great place waiting for you. With great people, experiences, and opportunities. You are allowed to have more than one home, and soon, the place you were totally unfamiliar with, will become a new home to you.