Wrap Up

Leah C.

June 15, 2010 - 9:00 AM

Hello and thank you all for following my blog! This will be my last submission until fall term. I've enjoyed sharing my thoughts and experiences at the UO with all my readers. I can't believe that I've been sharing a bit of my life through the Annual Givings Program for almost one year. Time definitely flies by really fast! I will have to reread all my entries and relive some of the moments of this school year. So much has happened, for me during my junior year, I'll miss leading the Hong Kong Club, as well as practicing wushu at the Recreation Center with the team. I've beaten myself up quite a few times for not participating in these clubs sooner. I'll only have one more year left in Eugene and I hope to make the most of it once fall arrives.

It's a little nerve racking to think that I'll soon be graduating next spring. Congratulations to all my friends who have dawned the emerald cap yesterday. Their presence on campus will surely be missed. I'll soon follow in their footsteps into a future full of hopes, and dreams. I hope next year, I can study as an UO digital arts graduate at the White Stag. Perhaps even finally getting an internship somewhere. With these two goals in mind, I will be working hard this summer to learn and improve my skills as a digital artist. I would like to sharpen my web design skills, and gain advanced knowledge in the usage of certain programs. During these past years as a digital art student at the UO, I feel that it is about time for me to establish myself as a professional in my field. Not only will I be experimenting, I now need to develop a stronger background in the usage of certain software and apply this into a career.

As the newly appointed HKSA's Senior Advisor and graphic designer, I will be redesigning the UO Hong Kong Student Association website this summer. The site has been long over due for an update. With my skills as the designer, I am getting rid of the built in website template that the previous committee had used. My focus will be making the site more personal and inviting. I will add elements that will reflect how unique and interactive the club is. Also, with a new year arriving there will be a need for new committee apparel! I'm thinking track jackets with a design that reflects the spirit of Hong Kong. Even though I may have not gotten an internship this year, there's still lots of design work for me to do. I've had request on helping on a few small projects for friends, as well as finally getting around to producing some work my portfolio.

My summer will be relaxing and full of preparation of what is to come next school year. I am also opening my Chinese language books again. I really regret not continuing my studies, but now that I have time over the summer, I'll be reviewing all my old text books. My goal one day is to be fluent in Mandarin. With the basic knowledge gained from my Chinese class last year, I believe I have enough skills to teach myself. I can also get help on pronunciation from friends and family. Maybe, if I get further enough, I can catch up and continue 3rd year Chinese by this fall! That would be wonderful. I really missed the close relationship of a language class. I really missed seeing all the classmates I had spent time with for 2 years. That's what so fun about taking a language in college. The high school class feeling is still there. Class everyday with the same people, and close relationships with the instructor is what I missed most. Aside from the intense study, theres always time to joke around and get to know one another, all in Chinese of course.

The future holds a lot of bright dreams and uncertainty. With new classes, I look forward to meeting new friends. I will need to focus my thoughts on what my future plans are this year, and start planing to graduate. I also can't wait for a new football season, hanging out with old friends, another year of preparation for the Hong Kong Club, and improving my skills in wushu when I get back. Time is something that one cannot waste, and I am starting to see that throughout my experience at the UO campus. I honestly wish it could last forever.