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Reflections on gratitude from your fellow Huskies

Three undergraduate women with their arms around each other standing in front of a crowd

November can be tough. Between the early darkness of Daylight Savings Time, seemingly endless midterms, and Seattle’s ever-present rain, it’s a point in Fall Quarter when it’s easy to get stressed out, overwhelmed, or just a little down, so it seemed like time for a little positivity. With Thanksgiving coming up, I decided it was the perfect chance to ask some Huskies just what they were grateful for this year. The answer? Mostly, their fellow Huskies.

 

Read on to hear what your classmates and peers are thankful for this fall—it might just brighten your day.

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“I’m really grateful to have friends that support me; they’re family in their own right. Don’t get me wrong, I’m really excited to see my family/extended family over the Thanksgiving weekend, but my friends are the ones who support me on a daily basis, and I’m not sure where I’d be without them.”

– Annie G., Computer Science, Class of 2019

 

“I’m thankful for all of the amazing opportunities the University of Washington has provided me, and the opportunity to be receiving a college education.”

– Chandler S., Communications and Sales, Class of 2018

 

“This Thanksgiving I’m thankful for the time and opportunities I have to be surrounded by friends who support me and make me feel taken care of even when I’m away from home.”

– Andrea V., Biochem, Class of 2019

 

“I’m thankful for being blessed with such an amazing family and friends, and overall support system. I am also grateful for the opportunity to be surrounded by people and an institution that celebrate diversity, promote social activism, and embody what it means to be a Husky: we’re boundless.”

– LJ C., Public Health, Class of 2019

 

“I’m grateful that I am surrounded by people who constantly support and push me to be my best self.”

– Catherine P., Biochem, Class of 2020

 

“I’m thankful that I’m able to go to such a great university. I know that this is a rare opportunity for most people in the world, and I’m so grateful that I get to receive a higher education. Also, I’m thankful for my friends for accepting me into their hearts so quickly, and making this place (and my sorority) feel like home.”

– Sasha G., Business Administration, Class of 2021

 

“I think I’m most thankful for parents that care about me so much that they are willing to do as much as they can to put me through the college that wasn’t the least expensive, but will be the best in helping me in the future.”

– Jack N., Business Administration, Class of 2021

 

“There are so many things to be grateful for today. I’m grateful I get to wake up every day and pursue a dream I’ve always wanted to. I’m grateful I have such a loving family and amazing friends. But above all I’m grateful for my Dixon Ticonderoga Number 2 pencil which has always supported me without fail through thick and thin.”

– Cody B., Political Science, Class of 2019

 

“My bae.”

– Steven F., Community, Environment, and Planning, Class of 2018

 

“I’m thankful for the love and support from my family and friends! I’m also grateful for the community that I am surrounded here at UW, which continues to motivate, challenge, and inspire me to live my best life. There’s something sweet about life in our early twenties specifically in university, the ability to have freedom and independence to explore different possibilities. That is something I will forever be grateful for!”

– Teresa C., Business Administration, Class of 2018

 

“There’s a lot of things I’m grateful for, like my loving family,  supportive friends, and wool socks. But above all, this year I am most grateful for the state of mind I am currently in. I preach the importance of self-love all the time, but it hasn’t been until recently that I truly felt my own self confidence. I don’t know what tomorrow has in store for me, but right now, I feel pretty darn good.”

– Honie M., Informatics, Class of 2019

 

“I am thankful for Chem 142, because if I passed it I would’ve never been able to get a chance to experience all the electives in the bachelor of arts of public health. I’m also thankful for Costco because it gave me family time and hot dogs.”

– Erin H., Public Health, Class of 2020

 

“I am thankful for many things and many people but I am truly thankful for the relationships I have built at UW and in the Seattle community. They are the most supportive and welcoming people and I am forever thankful for their generosity and kindness. They have pushed me to be the best version of myself and when I get there, they push me to be better and do better and I couldn’t be more thankful for their encouragement.”

– Alyssa E., Education, Communities, and Organizations, Class of 2019

 

“I’m thankful for my family and all the support they have given me throughout my life. They’ve been there to comfort me when I’m down and congratulate me when they’re proud of the things I’ve done. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my family being there for me.”

– Evan E., Electrical Engineering, 2021

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Amid a million deadlines and finals looming next month, don’t forget to take a moment to remember everything you appreciate in life. After all, sometimes it’s the little things that matter most.

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Student Life blogger Hannah M. is a UW senior studying Marketing and English who is also involved with the American Marketing Association and Her Campus UW. When not pitching, writing or editing blog posts for UWSL, you’re likely to find her making PowerPoint presentations for a case competition or ordering a vanilla latte on the Ave. To suggest a topic for the UWSL blog, email dawglife@uw.edu.

21 Tips for making the most of your first year at UW

Hannah headshot

Check out the first in a series from student blogger Hannah, a UW junior studying Marketing and English who is also involved with the American Marketing Association and Her Campus UW. When not pitching, writing or editing UWSL blog posts, she’s probably making PowerPoint presentations for a case competition or ordering a vanilla latte on the Ave.

Hey there, Class of 2021! Congratulations on becoming the next generation of Huskies. You’ve written your admissions essays, finally got your acceptance letter, attended your A&O and celebrated the start of fall quarter with Freshman Convocation and Dawg Daze. However, despite that excitement, you might be feeling just a little bit of nerves or butterflies—totally normal. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Everyone’s time at UW is different, but here are 21 tips and tricks to help you make the most of your first year at UW.

  1. Get to know your campus. No one wants to be “that freshman” wandering around with a map, so if you’re a little disoriented at first, just use the UW Campus Maps All the building names—and directions—are right at your fingertips (plus no one can tell you’re checking the route to Bagley, not the latest Insta stories). When not headed to class, take the time to explore UW using UW Scout: hunt for the best views, quietest study spots, or comfiest chairs. Check out the UW Farm, newly renovated Denny Hall, or the driving range by North Campus. Being comfortable and confident in your surroundings can go a long way towards feeling more comfortable and confident in college.
  2. Take advantage of your UPASS. One of the best things about being a Husky is our wonderful city—and the unlimited bus and light-rail rides we get to use to explore it. Whether you’ve been born and raised in Seattle or are from across the country (or from another country!) there’s so much to still discover and explore. Each neighborhood has its own unique atmosphere and hidden treasures, so go find them! Search your phone’s app store for One Bus Away and the Metro KC Trip Planner to help plan your trips and stay up to date on bus schedules.
  3. Speak up in class or quiz section. It’ll challenge you to engage more in the material and help you understand the concepts, which will be super helpful when you’re faced with your first midterm. It can be nervewracking to volunteer in front of the whole class or ask a clarifying question, but it can really set you apart to your professor or TA. If you’re feeling self-conscious, you can just raise your hand for answers you know are right to help boost your confidence and build up to speaking in class more often. Joining into discussions in classes like ENGL 111 are even easier—just share your thoughts! Whether participation is part of your grade or not, contributing can make a huge difference in your GPA.
  4. Form study groups. If you’re in a FIG, you already know a bunch of people taking some (or all) of your classes! If you’re not, strike up conversation with people around you in class and see if they’d be interested in studying together. Chances are, they will be.SMB_0928
  5. And sit in the front of the classroom to help you pay attention.
  6. Be yourself! Yes, this is the cheesiest advice ever, but it’s cliché for a reason: it’s true. Toning down your personality can actually make it harder to connect with people—so wear your favorite concert tee or mention you were a high school volleyball champ. You never know who might want to see a show or spike a few balls at the IMA with you.
  7. Build relationships with your professors. They’re here to help you learn, encourage you, and make sure you’re really understanding the class. If you’re in a 600-person lecture and talking to the prof is too intimidating, try getting to know your TA instead.
  8. Find a balance. There’s so much to do, but remember to take time for yourself. Try to get a good night’s sleep and schedule time for a little R&R, like taking a yoga class or picking up a novel you’ve been meaning to read. It’s okay to turn down an invite every now and then or skip an event.
  9. Use your unlimited Google Drive storage space! Not only will it help keep your hard drive from filling up, your files will be available anywhere, meaning you don’t need add your laptop to your overstuffed backpack just to print something at Ode. You’ll even be able to easily access them on your phone! If the worst happens and your computer crashes or battery needs to be replaced, you won’t lose any important files—or time. Just log in to your UW email account, then use the menu in the upper right hand corner to navigate to Google Drive. Learn more through UW IT Connect.
  10. Try to resolve conflict with your roommate instead of just “powering through it” and complaining to your friends in private. Roommate agreements exist for a reason, but if something pops up that’s been bugging you, speak up about it! Learning how to handle these kinds of situations now will help you deal with conflict later in life.
  11. Get to know your RA. They went through freshman year already so their perspective can be really valuable, and you should feel comfortable stopping by their room with questions or concerns! If you’re not living on campus, remember that your advisers and staff in the Commuter Commons are also great resources to turn to.
  12. Attend campus events. ASUW is constantly hosting events, UW’s 900+ student clubs and organizations bring in speakers and host other events weekly, and definitely keep an eye out for spring quarter’s TEDxUW conference for a serious dose of inspiration. If you live in the dorms, make sure you take advantage of all the events hosted by Housing & Food Services on campus, even if they’re not in your particular building. Try out movie nights in Alder Auditorium, DIY craft sessions for succulent terrariums or tassel banners, or cooking tutorials at Local Point.
  13. Cheer for the Huskies! While you have to buy Dawg Pack (or individual) tickets for Football and Men’s Basketball, you can attend ALL other sporting events for free, like Volleyball, Gymnastics, Tennis, Rowing, Soccer, Women’s Basketball… Going to a game, race, or meet together is a great way to hang out with people during the first few weeks of school or a fun escape from wind, rain, and studying come winter quarter.
  14. Ask for help. The Center for Learning and Undergraduate Enrichment (CLUE), your professors and TA’s, and the Odegaard Writing and Research Center exist to support you. For help more specific to your majors or classes, there’s also the Math Study Center, the Philosophy Writing Center…the list goes on and on. Do some research to make sure you’re aware of all the resources you have available.
  15. Have backup classes ready when you go to register and make sure you write down their SLNs beforehand in case you have to make a quick adjustment to your schedule. (SLNs, or “Student Line Numbers” are the 5 digit codes for each class on UW’s MyPlan or Time Schedule. Each lecture has a slightly different SLN, so be careful!)  Some classes are harder to get into than others, and having a plan B will save you so much stress if you don’t get into the lectures you want at 6 am on registration day.
  16. Take photos. Even if it’s just changing your Snapchat setting to save your story to camera roll automatically or taking a random pic of your friends at dinner, a picture is worth a thousand words.
  17. Write it down. Jot down memories and quotes in a blog, a journal, or even in the notes app on your phone. You’ll be grateful later that these moments are saved.
  18. Make healthy choices. It’s easy to default to grabbing Pagliacci’s or the alfredo pasta from Orin’s for dinner every night, but don’t forget to pick up a salad or smoothie every once in a while. Stop by the dorm gyms or IMA, or try jogging and biking on the beautiful Burke-Gilman trail. Make sure you’re drinking water, too! There are refilling stations for your water bottle all around campus.
  19. Don’t stress if you lose touch with some of your high school best friends. It’s totally normal. That said, try to make time for the relationships you want to hold on to, even if it’s just a quick “thinking of you!” text or sending a care package right before finals week. A little can go a long way.
  20. And don’t worry if you don’t find your college best friends right away either.
  21. Fail forward. This is a catchphrase at UW for a reason. No matter how well you prepare, how hard you try, or how carefully you follow the last 19 tips, you will most likely experience failure at some point here before you graduate. Don’t be afraid of mistakes! Learn from them, grow from them, and you will be better because of them. Learn strategies to move forward from failures in and out of the classroom, find helpful resources, and check out stories of others’ biggest face plants – including from some of UW’s most renowned faculty, staff and your fellow students – by visiting the UW Resilience Lab.

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Have a question, comment or an idea for a future blog? Email us at dawglife@uw.edu.

How are you feeling?

As we start spring quarter and celebrate the change in season, it is also important to acknowledge that some within our campus community are facing challenges from a range of stressors: from a polarized political environment to academic and personal difficulties.  Such challenges can add stress to what are already demanding times.  The time is therefore right to remind you of the resources we have on campus to support your academic engagement and well-being.  Our goal as a university is to help create and environment conducive to growth and learning while giving you proactive ways to manage emotions, make meaning of current events, and connect with others to engage in community building.

Here are some tips to help manage your stress level this quarter:

  • Refuel.  Restore yourself.  Eat well, regulate your sleep pattern, drink water, exercise, laugh, be creative, etc.  Incorporate activities that are rejuvenating.
  • Connect.  Engage with supportive friends, talk with loved ones and/or spend time in comforting environments.  Critically engage with your own and others’ reactions but also communicate your boundaries when necessary.
  • Unplug.  Limit your consumption of news and social media.  Monitor your reactions.  Reflect.  Set time limits for how long you spend on social media.
  • Volunteer.  Channel what you feel into positive, rewarding and meaningful activity.  Join a UW or Seattle organization.

Students who are struggling or in distress may benefit from seeking help from additional supportive resources:

On Campus
Counseling Center: Free and open to all registered students offering counseling and consultation services
206-543-1240

Hall Health Center: Primary care, consulting nurse and mental health counseling.  Initial visits are free and most student insurance is accepted for ongoing care.
206-685-1011

Health & Wellness: Offering outreach, consultation, referrals. Programs include Suicide Intervention, Sexual Assault, Relationship Violence, and Stalking Advocacy, and Alcohol and Other Drug Consultation and Education.
206-543-6085

Disability Resources for Students: Serves students with temporary and permanent disabilities, providing academic and other accommodations (including injuries and mental health issues).
206-543-8924 (voice and relay)

Safe Campus: UW’s central reporting office for violence prevention and response. If you have safety concerns, call for a consultation, connection to resources, and/or implementation of safety measures.
206-685-SAFE

Other resources:

If you need help or are concerned about a friend, we strongly encourage you to reach out to one of the resources listed above. Take care of yourselves and each other.