My freshmen year at Portland State University has been eventful to say the least. Prior to moving to Portland, I lived in Eugene Oregon with my parents, and spent a lot of time cycling and developing an interest for photography. The thought of moving away from home and attending college was an intimidating thought for me. I almost couldn’t believe I was at this stage in my life. I wasn’t exactly sure what was in store for me as far as what my school experience would be like when I came to Portland. My older brother studied film at PSU, and having visited the city a handful of times, I had a rough idea of how the school was laid out, such as where the library is located and where the good food carts were. And having ridden around the west and east side of Portland on my bike, I had a good idea of how to get around the city. But all of this didn’t prepare me for the logistics of getting through a typical school day at a university. I came to Portland State feeling anxious, but open to any new experiences and people I may encounter.  

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I didn’t have a lot of expectations before entering into the freshmen inquiry program. I had a rough idea of what I would be doing in the classes, but I wouldn’t know until I experienced it for myself. After the first few classes, I started warming up to my instructors, and my classmates. I felt that my professor made the learning environment comfortable and engaging for my and the rest of the students. It didn’t feel like any other writing or pre requisite class that I had heard about. It felt more intimate, and tied into concepts and topics around art, which I thought made lengthy essays and projects more intriguing.

During my senior year at highschool, my graduating class was required to do a service project with a written reflection and presentation about a topic on an ethical issue. This required volunteering at a business that pertained to the issue I chose. Along with conducting research and citing sources that supported my argument. During the first term of the Work of Art freshmen inquiry class, I found myself doing a lot of similar assignments and projects that paralleled with my final senior project. A misconception I had about college was that the workload for each class was heavy. I was afraid of being consumed with class work, considering how much I found myself struggling to refine my writing in high school. But during my senior project experience I was able to sharpen my writing skills and become proficient in the MLA writing format. Having all this experience in high school helped me a lot when I came to PSU. I realized that I was more prepared than I thought for college level courses. I felt like I had an easier time with projects, presentations, essays, and etc than some of the other people in my class. The only thing I felt challenged by was understanding the new artistic concepts that my class focused on.

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Over this year, I’ve gained a better understanding of what I value academically. I realised now that I like to take my time with projects, and I value this time because I don’t feel stressed. I feel like I can focus with a clear conscious. After going through the growing pains of the first term of college, I learned a lot about myself. I learned what I prefer in a living space. I learned that I’m more of an afternoon person than a morning person, and how to manage my time. These learning experiences taught me that I have the power to change these variables to help myself excel academically. Having a flexible schedule allowed me to feel not as stressed, and really take in the learning experiences in each class. I found myself retaining the concepts for longer when I had more time to articulate my skills in a class setting.

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Even though my first year college experience was filled with a lot of positive experiences, there was a few bumps in the road. Some of the most memorable moments happened in the class room. Since the topic of art has a lot of controversial topics tied to it, it’s inevitable for a dispute between students to erupt in the class. I remember this happening a handful of times, which soured the feeling of having an accountable space during class. Even though these debates over heated topics made me feel uncomfortable, I learned a lot of new perspectives and information on these topics that I otherwise wouldn’t have heard about. I felt like my perspective of these social issues that are related to art effect me and my classmates a lot more than I thought. After these experiences, I felt shaken, but also equipped with new knowledge that made me think deeper about the kind of world I live in. I felt like my global perspective was expanded for the better.

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After making it through a year of twists and turns, meeting new people and visiting new places, I can without a doubt say that I have come out the other side a different person. I believe that this year was a moment in my life where I could feel my life heading in a direction. I’ve gotten the opportunity to meet with a few of my celebrity role models, travel to foreign countries, and try new things. I feel as though I’m narrowing in on what I want out of life. Through traveling I’ve learned that I’m a lot more grounded to my home in Oregon than I really thought. Having the chance to approach famous photographer John Watson, and have a conversation with well known hip-hop producer Sporting Life, I’ve gained a new perspective of what it means to be an overseer in a subculture. I’ve learned what I value in a person, and how much I can take physically and mentally. Having a toxic roommate has made me feel better about myself and the people I like to associate myself with. I’ve been able to fulfil seemingly impossible goals, overcome self doubt, and learned to not be so critical of my work as an artist, and as a student.  I feel that I’ve been able to refine my craft by being presented with various challenges through my courses at PSU, and be able to apply them to my everyday life. I’ve become more in tuned with my community at Portland State University, and have grown new roots in a city I can say is a second home to me.

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In one year I have accomplished so much more than I could ever expect. I’m humbled by the fact that I’ve established myself in my various realms that I like to be creative in, such as art, design, photography, and even in cycling. It’s a very melancholy feeling knowing that I’ll be leaving Portland State for the summer, and returning in the fall with a different schedule, housing situation, and different teachers. I’m leaving this year feeling like a stronger and more well rounded individual than when I entered.

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In conclusion, I’d like to say thank you to everyone at Portland State University, my beloved family, and my friends for making my time in this wonderful city so memorable. This was a year I will never forget.