At the end of two years, I would have thought it to be easier, to recollect what I loved the most about my time at UWC and many things come to mind: I could write about the sense of community that drew me in from the first day and how I got a similar feeling from Lewis and Clark that compelled me to apply. I could easily write about how even though in the moment I disliked it often, the academic program made me grow as a person and a student: before UWC I barely had to apply myself to studies, making me passive in my learning.
But probably, what I valued the most about being at UWC was a combination of both. I value the people most and how they shaped me. In real-time I could see myself as an example of how a person can be influenced and shaped by their community, how a supportive group can be the best way to learn and grow. I learned over the two years how being surrounded by these people has impacted me and for that, I am grateful beyond words: UWC with its ups and downs, its people and community has made me more honest, more assured in my thoughts and feelings and more open to learning from those around me. I hope that at Lewis and Clark I will be able to continue this way of learning along with my academic studies.
Academically at Lewis and Clark, I am interested in continuing to do art and will most likely major in studio art. While I am comfortable in painting and want to focus on gaining more experience and practice in it over the next four years I would also like to start experimenting more; especially with installation and sculpture. The other academic focus I would like to take is philosophy, as it is an area of study that I have enjoyed on my own for the most part and am now excited to learn more about in a formal setting.
In a more general sense, I hope I can make Lewis and Clark a home, a place where I am comfortable to learn and grow and make connections. I am excited to explore the nature surrounding the college as well as the city as I live far away from a bigger metropolitan area in a small town in the very South of Germany. I hope that Lewis and Clark as a place between nature and the city can teach me more about the way I can interact with both.
Most importantly, I want my time at Lewis and Clark to be positive for both me and those around me, I want to continue to be influenced and learn from those around me through becoming better at listening and understanding. I want to be able to make positive impacts on my community in the same sense myself and hope to learn more about how to do that over the next years.