I’m about a month away from graduation and I remember I was recently asked if I had anyone to say “thank you” to for helping me throughout my time in school. I first thought of my parents and loved ones, but in terms of the actual school-related thank you’s, I immediately thought of the Honors Program.
For some, the Honors Program seems pointless or tough, and maybe for them it is, but for me, I pursued an Honors minor because I enjoy English, and we have to take an English-style course every year to stay in the program. It was a way to keep English-like courses on my schedule and challenge me mentally with various texts and of course, keep my writing sharp; as a Journalism student, this is the most valuable piece.
I didn’t think I’d use much of the things Honors had to offer outside of its courses, simply because I’ve always been the go-to-school-go-home type of student. But, four years later, I have found myself feeling more grateful for the Honors College and everyone in it than I ever imagined. I’ve always felt like the sky was the limit when I talked to Honors faculty about my goals and dreams.
My freshman Colloquium professor has been a mentor from start to finish, who I look to for guidance all of the time, even though they are no longer my teacher. My professor for both my sophomore and junior level credits has also been a strong mentor, and another one of the professors is Her Campus Wyoming’s advisor. Even one of the associate lecturers encouraged me to enter the Ellbogen, giving me nothing but support and encouragement through it all. I’ve heard the most “I’m proud of yous” from the Honors College and have had more of a push to challenge myself from its faculty than anywhere else, which is just what I need to be the best student I can be. I work better with encouragement (I’m sure I’m not alone) and there’s no shortage of that in Honors.
The Honors College holds my favorite couch and is somewhere I go to take a break from the turbulent environment school provides, it has a quieter computer lab for working in, and plenty of space for studying. I also know the second I walk into the doors of Guthrie, I can find someone to help me with any questions or concerns, whether or not they have anything to do with Honors. When I think of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in school, they always come from Honors courses or professors and I still have some of the texts I read throughout my courses in my room, waiting to be re-read.
Maybe being in Honors makes me a super-nerd, or sounds absolutely unappealing to some of you reading this, but I’m telling you right now, I would not be here if it weren’t for this program. I have so much gratitude for my experience as an Honors kid and though it proved to be tough sometimes, I feel like I’ve grown so much as a student and an adult with the mentorship and care I’ve received from the faculty and the information I’ve gathered from its courses. I know when I leave and am no longer a student, they will still welcome me with open arms if I contact them down the road, which makes me feel valued as a student and individual.
This article is simply supposed to be a thank you to Honors, but I also have to give them a little promotion because it’s the least I can do. If you’re considering Honors, just do it. It’s not a lot to add onto your class load and the information is as fun as it is valuable. Aside from Colloquium, you have options for the kinds of classes you want to take and you can’t go wrong with any faculty in the college. It looks good on resumes and transcripts and if you’re in any major related to English, it will improve your skills and keep them sharp. I highly recommend it, as my experience in Honors was the best part of my college experience in terms of coursework.