What a journey in CWR4B! This semester, I have become more skillful in doing research. By completing Library Exercises and Research Arcs, I learned about available sources from the library, the ways to come up with keywords, how to deepen my research, and how to formulate a full-length essay. By scheduling a conference with a librarian, I gained skills in navigating library databases and creating my “intended perfect title” for my sources to try to find the best-match article for my research. I learned to be skeptical — is this that I am looking at propaganda or misinformation? Whenever I read a post online, I will try to find out who the author is, their occupation, and whether they support a biased point of view. 

    More importantly, I am more confident as a researcher. Initially, I believed I was not good at writing. However, completing three projects in this CWR4B class convinced me that I can successfully utilize all the library and online resources and develop complex research outcomes. I learned the importance of kindness and respect — one kind smile may change lives. I learned to honor my voice and be brave enough to be myself and follow my heart. I know deeply that my value is not determined by my GPA, the number of clubs I am in, the number of internships I have, or my résumé items, but by my choice — my choice to keep on walking on my path, no matter if the odds supports it. Inspired by this concept of individual thinking and to promote it, I co-founded Viva Voce, a college-based podcast promoting everyone’s uniqueness and standing against the convention that induces anxiety.