The More You Know the More You Want to Discover

By Michelle Heims

“The project is never finished”…it seems daunting, but it couldn’t be more accurate. Whatever you do in life, there is always more to be done. Not in a way that undermines your achievements, but in a way that shows that progress and improvement is possible. As the world is constantly changing and evolving, work to be done is endless. I also believe that the more you know, the more you want to discover or learn. In this program, I have learned so so much and the knowledge I have gained is invaluable. I am curious and inspired to learn more because I have acknowledged the complexities and depth of my coursework and believe that there is always something to learn. In my program we have discussed human rights, which is a topic that I believe epitomizes the aforementioned quote, the project or work towards human rights is never finished as conflict is always there and human rights violations are an unfortunate reality. Similarly, community engagement is a continuous line that can always get longer. We as a society can always improve our community, help others, and make an impact.

This program has taught me so much, words can’t even describe how much I’ve learned. I am very upset that I have to leave Europe, especially after all of my amazing adventures, but I know I’ll be back someday. I will cherish these memories and use the lessons I learned on this trip back in the US and in my future endeavors. I am really grateful for this experience and am so happy that I did it!

I am particularly proud of my growth throughout this program. Even though it was only a 5 week program, I think I have really grown. I definitely gained more independence by being in a foreign country, and I had to figure a lot of things out that I never needed to do in the US. I also think that my classes and coursework have expanded my perspective on many issues and I will use this outlook for other things. I want to keep exploring the issues we discussed in class as they will help me in my career and in my community engagement efforts.

Although I am sad to leave Europe, I am excited to go back to FSU for the fall. Even though I am a sophomore, this will be my last fall at FSU if I follow my plan. I will be applying to grad schools, doing UROP, continuing my membership in clubs, and taking fascinating classes. I am also doing 2 certificates. I am also looking for internships or work related to my major on top of being a TA. This summer experience has taught me skills and information that I will use for all of these things. I also think that this experience showed me the importance of community engagement and what needs to be done to improve what is currently being done for human rights and international affairs. Using this, I can use my skills to reach my own full potential, but also the full potential of human rights work. The project is never finished, and I’m excited for the journey!