See You Later, Brown

It has been a wonderful weekend for me. Today was the last day of the leadership Symposium. The day was fairly short. We had breakfast like yesterday. I ate pretty much the same things: a bagel and fruits. We headed to Brown at the same time as yesterday as well.

Our first activity was a Leadership Alumni panel in an auditorium in the Smith-Buonanno building. Similar to the Starr Fellow panel of yesterday’s activity, we had the chance to interact with Brown students that have impacted their community through leadership projects. However, this time, the panel consisted of students that have done some sort of leadership programs like the ones we did during the summer. They were there to tell us about their Action Plans, their struggles, and their outcomes. In the end, they opened the panel to the audience. We were able to ask questions pertaining to our own Action Plan. That was helpful and inspirational. It’s one thing to be told that we are capable of executing our plans, but it’s even better knowing that there are those who faced the same challenges and were still able to overcome them. I am glad that they shared their stories with the Symposium students.

Time Management Coaches

After a break, we proceeded to a Time Management Workshop in the same building. Everyone in the audience was broken into groups of three. I was placed in group 3 and we headed to a room downstairs. Our mentor was a Brown student. She is currently a senior at Brown. During the workshop, we just discussed ways of being productive. We learned how to prioritize the things we need to do by physically organizing our priorities in a worksheet. We categorized our “to do” list into “Urgent” and “Not Urgent” columns.  I found this helpful, especially because I am now a senior in high school. I am in the middle of college applications, AP exams, ACT prep, and extracurriculars. I found myself putting college applications, supplement essays, and personal statements under the “Urgent” column. I realized that prepping for AP exams can be in the “Not Urgent” because I have more time for that compared to the college admission process.

Everyone met up again at the auditorium. This was the end of the Symposium. Kisa bid us farewell after holding a quick reflective activity. We filled up a worksheet about our Action Plan, basically making us reflect on what we will do with our Plans.

Iris, Aby, Emily, and I had lunch with the three Korean guys that we have met through the program. We had Korean food. Actually, it was my first time trying Korean food. I had a wonderful time and it was definitely painful to part ways.

Now, I am sitting in the TF Green Airport’s floor. I am quite sad. I wish the weekend extended itself for another 7 days. Actually, I wish I could be part of the ILC all over again. Having a weekend trip like this was sort of like a teaser. I just wish it would have lasted longer. I am a senior now, which means that I cannot join the ILC for the next set of trips. I am grateful to have been part of Brown’s Leadership Symposium 2012. I will now bring back all that I’ve learned because I mean, I can’t escape them. I think that those lessons and skills have helped shaped me into a more positive being. I hope to contribute to my community, even if it is just a small impact from my Action Plan.

Group photo of everyone in front of Wilson Hall