A First Semester Reflection

I WON’T BACK DOWN. For anyone who is not aware of this timeless UF tradition, I witnessed six football games where we waved our flashlights high and sang this at the top of our lungs. Now, whenever I hear this song by Tom Petty, I immediately picture fall football, camaraderie, and fun times with my friends. I touch on this first because my first semester at UF has been filled with the creation of new traditions and was chock full of new experiences.

I enjoyed the multicultural environment that I was a part of in my dorm. International students from Jordan, Costa Rica, Italy, Bosnia, and Mexico were some of my closest friends. Every birthday, we would all share a meal at either Las Carretas or Bagels and Noodles. If you’re ever in the Gainesville area, I highly recommend both.

In college, leadership is not necessarily separated by age or class, but rather by experience and insight. As a freshman, my experiences in Florida’s Future Leadership Program has provided me with extensive opportunities for professional development and service. I am looking forward to completing our spring service project with my team of high achieving individuals.

In my sorority, social involvement has intersected with leadership in my position on the executive board of the Make A Wish Foundation. We raised over $3,000 at our fall fundraiser, Froyo for Wishes. I am excited for our spring volleyball tournament, Sandblast, and have already begun to collect sponsorships from local shops and organizations.

Next semester, I am looking forward to my Writing in AI class where I will learn to harness the knowledge and program that is artificial intelligence in order to help format and polish my writing. I am also excited to begin research in the UF Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, where I will be investigating how massive climate events promote pollutant and pathogen spread around the world.

Cheers to a great first semester.