“The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley.” – Robert Burns, Of Mice and Men
Translation from someone who has never read the book: plans go wrong. I came into UW with a pretty distinct plan: excel in premed classes, make a group of lifelong friends, get some internships, go on to medical school, become a psychiatrist, and help people while earning the big bucks. A solid plan…but let’s just say it “gang aft a-gley”.
Despite my ability to excel in the classes, I couldn’t get passionate about medicine because it seemed so detached and impersonal. I wrestled with this for a long time, hoping I could learn to just suck it up, 4.0 all my classes, and keep going with The Plan. But one day during the summer before my sophomore year, I realized I just couldn’t follow through with it all. Or, more accurately, I didn’t want to. So I put The Plan aside.
Despite my fear that the world would come crashing down around me without The Plan, life went on. I found new subjects to study, Psychology and Communication. I didn’t find that perfect friend group, but I found individuals who have meant the world to me. Most importantly, I have experienced and lived as much as possible: I studied abroad in Ecuador, I was an Honors Peer Educator twice, I got some working experience as a receptionist and Communications intern for Honors, I did psychological research on social connection, I worked as both a writing and speaking tutor, I was an RA for one summer, I was an undergraduate TA, I auditioned (and got rejected from) a school production of Mamma Mia!, and I interned for the actual FBI. I never dreamed I would have all these experiences under my belt in just four short years, and that’s because none of it was part of The Plan.
I applied to the Husky 100 in January, which tasked me with reflecting on my Husky Experience. I figured that as a member of the Interdisciplinary Honors Program, I could just rehash the reflections I had been making for 3 years in my portfolio. But surprisingly, as I reflected on each of my unexpected experiences, a theme emerged: people.
Connecting these experiences with the classes I took in the Psychology and Communication departments have led me to realize my passion for working with people. My favorite parts of these experiences involved talking with others, learning about them, and encouraging them to do and be their best. As a Peer Educator, I’ve been able to hear the life stories of 20 incredible students, and to encourage them to explore confidently and make mistakes. As a writing tutor, I’ve been able to work with students crafting their personal statements, helping them to better appreciate their unique backgrounds. In the FBI, I’ve talked with people who make real differences in the lives of victims of crimes. Through all of these experiences, I’ve loved being in a position where people feel they can trust me with their stories and plans. People are complex, but they’re also inspiring, resilient, caring, and unique. I want to work with these kinds of people.
This revelation is a bit of a blessing as well as a curse; while it feels good to know what kind of work motivates me, it also means I have certain standards for the work I’ll be doing in the future. Without The Plan, I’m still not sure where the future takes me post-graduation, but I’m hoping I can find my way back to grad school in order to practice some sort of counseling. But in the end, that’s just Another Plan, one that could easily “gang aft a-gley”. But I’ve learned that’s okay. My college experience has made me more comfortable with ambiguity and taking opportunities as they come. I now understand that I won’t be landing in my forever-job after graduation, but I also better appreciate that the experiences I will have won’t be wastes of time; they will be opportunities for me to continue to learn and grow.
At the end of the day, I’m still a planner. The difference? I’ve learned to put plans aside in favor of fateful opportunities that can arise at any moment.