About

Learning Vision Statement

I would say the single thing in life that I am most passionate about would be helping others. Over the course of my life, I have aspired to hold many different job titles; I’ve wanted to be a teacher, a veterinarian, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, and many more careers. Looking back at my career aspirations, it is clear to see that I had a strong interest in improving other’s lives, even if I didn’t see it at the time. More recently, I have an interest in becoming a therapist, especially for the most vulnerable individuals in our society: children. I think that because children are so malleable and sensitive to the environment around them, negative life experiences affect them much more profoundly than older individuals. If a child is experiencing a noxious life event and I can be there as a therapist to be a positive influence on them or just to let them know that someone is there for them, I feel that I can make a huge difference in that child’s life and potentially their future.

Something I hope to learn over the next few years is how to make better and deeper connections with people. I am fairly introverted and often find it hard to converse at length with people I don’t know well. Developing this skill is something that will be incredibly beneficial as I move further into my undergraduate career, as well as my professional career. Along the same vein, I would like to develop my leadership skills and confidence. I think this would be another great attribute for me to work on, so that is something I am hoping to develop as well. Finally, I’d like to learn more about how to help others more effectively – how to discern what they need and then act to attempt to directly help them or find them resources.

Academically, I would like to learn more about anything that I can during my time at MSU. It is for this reason that I am pursuing two degrees with two minors. I just feel as though while I am here at college, I should take advantage of it and try to gain all the knowledge I am able to. After graduating from my undergraduate studies, I would like to attend a Master’s in Social Work program and eventually become a licensed therapist. The population I am most interested in for therapy would be children, youth, and families. I think the reason this field interests me so much is because I am very interested in childhood development and I know that our brains are highly plastic at a young age. Therefore, if I am able to dispel any maladaptive behaviors for children or for the families as a whole, I think this would be a great opportunity for me to pursue. My personal goal is to be happy, make sure to keep time for leisure and self-care, and to feel like I am making some sort of difference. All of these goals are actually more interconnected than they may seem. If I am able to make time for leisure and self-care, I will (hopefully) be able to avoid burnout, both in school and in a professional atmosphere. If I am not burnt out, I will (hopefully) feel like I am making a difference in the lives of others. If I feel like I am making a difference, I will likely feel satisfaction and be happy.