Double majoring, life lessons and studying abroad

Question posed: What do you hope to learn from your experiences in college? Had I been asked this question years ago, my answer probably would have been something to the effect of, “I hope to learn as much information about my desired field so that I can have a prosperous career.” Fast-forward to present day, and I can say that I have acquired this knowledge. Double-majoring in Political Science and International Studies with an area of concentration in Pre-Law has afforded me ability to take a diverse body of classes taught by highly motivated and passionate professors. I have taken a variety of courses, ranging from a course concerning the lives of women across various cultures, to a course about Constitutional law in the United States. I greatly enjoy this flexibility!

            My acquisition of knowledge, however, does not stop here. In addition to learning from textbooks, my studies in the political science department have taught me a lot about myself- important life lessons that are applicable in multiple facets, extending far beyond the classroom. These life lessons, in addition to the lessons taught by professors in the classroom, have prepped me for success in any of my future endeavors

Lesson 1: Life Happens. Perfection is not always possible-life happens to everyone. Rather than just letting life happen in silence, I learned that it is monumentally more beneficial to be up front with professors. My experiences with the faculty have been nothing but positive! Faculty members are not as distant as one may initially assume.

Lesson 2: There are always people that have a vested interest in seeing you succeed.  This is especially true about the political science department, in my experience. Through the faculty, I have been exposed to a variety of opportunities, ranging from conferences and study abroad opportunities, to internships. Currently, I am legislative intern in Frankfort, thanks to my advisor suggesting me.   

Lesson 3: Mistakes are a part of the learning process. As an intern in Frankfort, I have been given a plethora of duties that I have never had to perform, using a new system. Have I done everything correctly? No. But I have learned along the way how to better my skill. This has also been made possible thanks to the help of Mr. Joe Wind, Vice President of Government and Community Relations at NKU.

Lesson 4: Move outside of your comfort zone. During the Fall 2011 semester, I made the decision to study abroad in Romania, taking courses in the Faculty of Political Science and the Faculty of European Studies. Back home, the study abroad office in conjunction with the political science department, worked diligently so that I would receive credit for courses taken over there (special thanks to Dr. Weir for writing my letter of recommendation!).  It comes as no surprise how much you learn from living in a country that you know little about and cannot speak the language.  Despite these initial setbacks, I have gained an immense body of knowledge about the Romanian system of government. While there, I took their “Constitutional Law” course, as well as a course of “Philosophy and Foundations of European Thought”. This has given me a truly comparative outlook!

This is Jena waiting for a train in 

Romania

To sum things up, studying in this department has allowed me to gain an amazing connection with the faculty, which has extended far beyond the classroom. I wouldn’t trade these experiences for the world!