Jac's College Experiences

Written January 25, 2010 for PSYC 489

Walking through Italy the year before I started college at Seattle University, I thought I would soon have it all figured out. I was confident. I was ready to take on my college experience. I expected to go to college, figure out what I love to do, and get into a decent job right after I graduated. I expected to gain unforgettable friendships and have everything planned out for the rest of my life. I even expected to stay in the same romantic relationship that I was in since high school, get married, and start a family. It is incredible how different my college experiences were from what I imagined them to be. I never expected to learn as much as I have. Through my three years at Seattle University, I have learned the true value of friendship and relationships, the gift of balancing social activities with college course work, and the ability to stand up for myself and for what I believe in. I have also learned to be more aware of the world and social justice opportunities. I have found my true passion of working with children and my interest in the field of fertility treatment. I feel prepared to take the next steps into life after graduation with the ability to embrace change and maintain an optimistic view of the world.

When I began my first quarter at Seattle University, I was making friends left and right. I spent time with people throughout the week and I had the promise of long-lasting friendships that I was expecting to find in college. Slowly, I began to lose touch with people, as coursework became more challenging. Not only was I dealing with the pain of losing friends from high school, but I was also having to face losing friendships I had barely started in college. When one of my close friends decided to break my trust by attempting to kiss me during our freshman year, the level of faith I had in people began to diminish. I had to begin to question every new friend’s intentions for wanting to spend time with me. On top of this, I had multiple friends let me down on various occasions, whether they were standing me up, not being reliable, or never making an effort to maintain our friendship. All of this opened my eyes to the true value of honesty and trust in friendships. Luckily, after discovering that I could be selective in the people I spent time with, I was able to meet people who truly cared for me and respected the person I was.

My junior year at Seattle University, I was fortunate enough to have been placed with an amazing random roommate, Alison, who showed me that I could still maintain my childlike spirit while working toward my goals. She persuaded me to have a better balance between my coursework and my social life, which I am grateful for. Alison colored with me on rainy days and made sure I was staying happy throughout the rough weeks of college. These rough weeks with friends and relationships taught me to stand up for myself and for what I believe in. I learned what I want and what I deserve through my relationships and downfalls with certain men. Through many emotional experiences, these men taught me to value loyalty, commitment, respect, and love. I learned how to be completely honest with myself and with others about what I need and how I feel. This value of personal empowerment is found in Seattle University’s mission statement and is linked to educating the whole person. I was not only educated in the classroom and residence halls, but also in my personal life while at Seattle University.

My family also persuaded me to have confidence and trust in myself, which helped me succeed in the classroom and in my social life throughout college. My father always pushed me to maintain my high grade point average, while making sure I actually learn important information from my classes. My mother provided complete support for everything I chose to do. She taught me the importance of having someone believe in me. My older sister persuaded me to become a more open and bluntly honest individual, especially when it came to relationships. She always provided the most candid advice and helped influence the independent woman I have become. I would not be where I am today without my amazing family and close friends.

Seattle University has greatly instilled in me the value of social justice. Classes such as Introduction to Philosophy, Catholic Imagination and Film, Statistics, Buddhism and Gender, Psychology of Genocide and Terrorism, Social Psychology, and Principles of Macroeconomics have given me a diverse perspective on global issues. Psychology of Genocide and Terrorism perhaps had the largest impact on me, as we discussed intense topics like the Holocaust and Rwandan genocide. This made me want to do everything I could to make the world a better place, including becoming more aware of issues being raised in our own nation and across the world. Principles of Macroeconomics taught me about the current economic crisis, which I was not educated on before. I also participated in the service-learning project during my second quarter of Statistics, which opened my eyes to the troubles facing many local elementary schools today. Volunteering for Children’s Literacy Project through Seattle University and working with children at Washington Middle School showed me a similar perspective of the school environment. I witnessed drastic socioeconomic differences firsthand and saw the effects of prejudice within the schools. This made me value my privileged education and supportive family more than I had before. It also showed me that I enjoy working with children and helping them face socioeconomic, racial, educational, and social difficulties.

In relation to working with children, I have also discovered that I am fascinated by the topic of fertility treatment and pregnancy. I wrote my final paper in Buddhism and Gender on the Japanese ritual called mizuko kuyo, which is an important ritual for many women in Japan after they experience guilt from having an abortion. The topic and the issues surrounding it intrigued me. I firmly hold on to the belief in a woman’s choice to do what she wants with her own body. After going through a period of strongly wanting a child myself, I now understand the complexities facing women in relation to pregnancy. To fascinate me even more, I wrote a paper about the personal experiences of desired and fulfilled pregnancies in my Phenomenological Psychology course. I also was influenced by a friend donating to a sperm bank, which prompted millions of questions from me about the whole fertility process. I now know that pregnancy is a very interesting subject to me and I think that it will be something I work with in the future, whether that means simply raising my own family or working in fertility treatment clinics. I have found my passion.

I move forward slowly, with caution and excitement. I am able to stand firmly on my own two feet, while still keeping an open mind for new possibilities and new ideas. I embrace change now, as it has pushed me to become the strong woman I am today. I hold the values of friendships, family, childlike spirits, social justice, and passionate interests that I learned from Seattle University strongly in my heart. As Sara Rose Curtin said in her 2002 commencement address at Mount Holyoke College, “Through the labor of self-discovery, we learned the value of supporting one another, of listening instead of always speaking, of standing up for ourselves and others, of seeing each glitch in our path as an opportunity for a new beginning. Along the way we became women together, every one of us a strong, unique, and empowered individual.” My experiences at Seattle University taught me the true value of being an empowered, intelligent and independent woman.

On April 20, 2007, I officially decided that I would be attending Seattle University for my undergraduate education.

On October 23, 2007, I began my work study job in Seattle University's purchasing department (where I am still currently employed).

On November 8, 2007, I filled out my first Purchase Order. By now, I have filled out hundreds of orders.

By December 13, 2007, I had finished my first bunch of college finals - receiving a 4.0.

During Winter Quarter 2008, I received my first (and only) A- of my college career in biology.

By June 20, 2008, I had completed my first year of college and wrote this blog entry - http://jacgoade.blogspot.com/2008/06/3973-first-year-completed.html

Over the past few years, I've fought hard to maintain my high grade point average. I've learned more than I would have ever imagined. I've worked hard, cried, loved, laughed, danced, tutored, ate, cooked, played, sang, recorded, and lived.

On March 15, 2009, I will have my last class day of my undergraduate career. I will then take my last final exams and be able to graduate.

On June 13, 2009, I will attend my graduation ceremony.