By Kelly Yu
I’m Kelly and I’m a third-year in the Comm School intending to concentrate in Finance and Information Technology. Along with Commerce, I’m also minoring in Data Analytics in the College of Arts & Sciences. I went to high school in Northern Virginia, so not too far away from home!
Rewinding back about two years ago, I started my first semester of college in a place I never thought I would start a school year: my bedroom. I came into UVA undecided and had known of McIntire, but I knew I had time to decide which path was the best fit for me. In my first year, in addition to taking the Commerce prerequisites, I explored other departments such as Psychology, Religious Studies, Philosophy, Astronomy, Creative Writing, Education, Chinese, and so on. I credit a large part of my decision to come to McIntire to taking these classes my first year. Slowly, I recognized what my strengths were as well as my weaknesses.
One of my favorite classes I’ve taken is my Poetry class in the Creative Writing department (highly recommend!). I was very used to a formal and structured style of writing, and I wanted to unleash my creative side. Now, I see writing as an art, a form of storytelling, and a game to decipher messages beyond what the words on the page say. Even today, I still write a lot in my free time.
The best pieces of advice I have for pre-Commerce students:
Find a support system: Whether it be your family, friends, or professors, having people celebrate your successes and encourage you along every step is the best feeling. For times when I was struggling, my support system believed in me more than I believed in myself.
Give yourself room to explore: Figuring out what you do not enjoy is just as important as figuring out what you do enjoy. Beyond classes, there are many ways to explore your interests on Grounds. Take the opportunities to meet people, and you’ll never know what may surprise you.
