Maximizing Your Strengths – Blue Wise

“I knew that Meredith was home after the first time I toured the campus. I am from Virginia and I had a weekend planned for touring schools in North Carolina. My mother and I came down to Raleigh with the plans of touring Meredith and then staying at a hotel that night to tour another school the next morning. After visiting Meredith, I told my mother that we could go home because if I was going to school in North Carolina, I was going to Meredith College. The campus was absolutely stunning and I loved all of the greenery. What really did it for me was the students and the staff. They made me feel so valued and offered a safe environment to ask questions and learn. I didn’t need to tour any other schools.

I am studying theatre because theatre has truly changed my life for the better. I believe that I have a gift that I would love to share with others. From participating in school productions, winning one-act state performances, and taking improv classes, I have become enthralled with the art and I just cannot imagine my life without it. Additionally, theatre has taught me so many important life skills such as public speaking, self-confidence, problem-solving, communication, and more. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to pursue theatre here at Meredith.

The relationships have definitely been the best part of coming to Meredith. The campus is beautiful and the classes are interesting, but I have developed relationships that I truly believe I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I have made a ton of wonderful friends. On my first day at Meredith, I met two fellow classmates who have been my rock during my freshman year.

I’ve also formed a great relationship with Emily Caldwell, director of StrongPoints®, through my internship. Emily has been an amazing mentor and truly has made Meredith feel like home. I will forever be grateful for her and the incredible coaching she has provided me during my college journey. She has essentially become my mom away from home.

The internship with StrongPoints has given me a place to truly grow and has been a major blessing. I am getting real work experience and building connections that will deeply benefit me in my future career endeavors. I am so grateful for my internship because I can use my creativity and skills to create events and social media posts that have real, positive impacts on my peers.

Out of everything Meredith College has given me, educating me on using my strengths has by far been the most beneficial. With help from Emily’s coaching, I have learned how to use my strengths to their maximum potential. It has gotten to the point where I will do something and one of my friends will say, “That’s your focus” or “There’s that futuristic.” I have used my strengths daily to resolve conflicts, handle professional situations, obtain an internship, build stronger connections with the people around me, excel academically, and so much more.

During college, I have learned that I am capable of so much more than I ever could have imagined. I come from a small town where being “different” is heavily frowned upon but Meredith embraces all differences and helps you find the power in those differences that makes you extraordinary. I have learned how to accept failure and how to grow from it. I had to accept that I won’t always get an A and that it’s important to give yourself compassion.

One challenge I am proud of overcoming is learning how to have good time management. In college, time management is one of the most essential, and one of the hardest, skills to have. Between theatre rehearsals, hours worth of homework, classes, my internship, and maintaining a balanced social life, it can be hard to figure out just how much time should be allotted to each task, all while still valuing the importance of my mental health and free time. It was tough at first but I learned that the less I procrastinate and the more I prioritize, the easier the workload becomes.

I am looking forward to continuing to grow in my internship and becoming more involved on campus. I hope to be a part of more theatre productions at Meredith and learn more about each position that makes up a show. I am excited to participate more in Cornhuskin’ and (hopefully) help get a win for my class. Overall, I am looking forward to becoming a better, stronger version of myself through the resources provided for me here on campus.”