I Don’t Regret My Past Because It Made Me Stronger

As I continued to work on my original work and update my portfolios this past winter break, I was extremely nostalgic, reminiscing about my first mentor visit, my first few interviews, and the envisionment I had of ISM going into a brand new program for a brand new school. I took quite a bit of time reflecting over my growth, my improvements, my struggles, and my newfound interests.

One quality I especially noticed that has begun to form is my tough shell and my ability to generously receive constructive criticism. Ever since the beginning of my ISM journey, I have been rejected multiple times when asking for an interview with a pediatrician, been told to fix my resume with contradicting statements, and acquired many “do’s” and “dont’s” of the professional world. Before I entered this program, I lacked quite a bit of confidence which is something one needs in abundance when entering the “real world”. However, through personal growth, whether it be in constantly developing my writing skills through emails, assessments, and weekly reports such as these, or solely calling pediatricians and attempting to gain interviews with them, I have obtained a decent amount of knowledge on how to navigate through the professional world while maintaining a resilient exterior.

An item that remains a struggle for me is incorporating creativity with information. Anyone is easily able to spew facts and statistics about a topic, but when it comes to original and applicable ideas, that is where the difficulty begins. Nevertheless, Thomas Edison conducted numerous experiments and observed many trials and errors before he came up with the phonograph and the light bulb; so, if he can come up with a unique thought, why can’t I? The solution in that lies within facts and organic logic. It takes time, dedication, and some sort of topic to apply to society that is a common problem.

In conclusion, this break, a great amount of reflection occurred, especially because graduation is coming up soon. The knowledge and personal growth that I have gained from this program is one that I will truly utilize throughout my entire life and I hope to pass it down like the advisors in this program have to me.