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Asia Lesesne

Julie Hicks

HONR 3791

24 April 2015

I Do Like Green Eggs and Ham

Sam I am, I do not like green eggs and ham

“Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than

you!” – Dr. Seuss. As a child and to this day I have just about every Dr. Seuss book. Green Eggs

and Ham is undoubtedly my favorite. The life lessons in this childhood book have transferred

greatly into my adult life. This is why I chose this particular book as the basis of my theme. I am

exploring how my college experience has related to the experience of Sam from Green Eggs and

Ham. With this theme I want to do more than just talk about the exploration that has taken place

during my college career, but about how this has taught me more about myself than I previously

knew and helped me discover my inner truths. I see myself in the main character Sam. He began

hesitant and weary to try new things, just as I did coming into college, because growing up I was

shielded from a lot of things. However, he eventually grew into a more open-minded person and

in turn discovered more about himself. As I reflect throughout this paper, you can see this

progression in me through my artifacts.

I began college not fully aware of who I was and where I wanted to go. I came in

unaware of all the experiences the world had to offer me. I was an undecided major

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overwhelmed with all the options college presented me with. I needed a push, I needed a force

like the other character in Green Eggs and Ham to give me motivation and some direction.

During my college experience many different forces presented themselves in several different

forms that pushed me to where I needed to be and helped lead me to who I am today, the person

writing this reflection.

The ultimate purpose of this paper is reflection; to reflect on all that has taken place in

my college career and to reflect on my self-discovery. In it you will find eight artifacts, both

academic and social. These artifacts are each significant to me in very different ways, but they all

have helped me to become the person that I am at this particular stage of my life. In these

artifacts you will see the forces that I mentioned earlier and I how I transitioned from “old Sam”

to “new Sam”. You will see how I moved from being sheltered and not wanting to explore new

opportunities to becoming more open minded about situations and how in turn that helped me to

grow as an overall person and in the understanding of myself. Upon the culmination of this

process I hope to have gained even more insight on who I am... Sam, the Sam that likes green

eggs and ham.

The Words of my Father

If “daddy’s girl” were to be defined in the dictionary you would most likely find a picture

of me adjacent to the definition. I can remember as a child my father would be out in the garden

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tending to the fruits and vegetables. I would be right beside him with my set of miniature pink

garden tools including a shovel, rake, and a hoe thinking I was doing a task just as important as

he was. I can also remember the many times he read Dr. Seuss to me. I have always had a good

relationship with my dad and valued those special moments. His words of encouragement and

wisdom have always been an inspiration to me, which is why I have chosen them as my first

artifact.

My dad is not a long-winded person on the phone so he usually calls me on his way to

work, because it is the perfect amount of time. Our conversations are normally about my classes

or something going on in the news. He is forever preaching to me that I need to watch the news

more frequently to keep with what is going on in the world, especially since I am about to dive

into it on my own. What makes these phone calls so special and memorable is that at the end of

every conversation he says to me, “Don’t forget why you’re there” and he has repeated this same

line over the past four years. His words have stuck with me since the beginning and have gained

more and more meaning over time. I now know that I am not in college just to earn a degree and

start a career, but to discover myself, grow, and learn lessons that will help carry me into the next

phases of my life.

In high school I never had to study much it just came easy to me. So, when I got to

college and took my first accounting class I was in for a rude awakening. On the very first day of

class our teacher stated that half of us would not pass. I did not take much head to this and

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brushed it off as a scare tactic the teacher was simply using to get us to pay more attention. That

was a mistake. I should have taken those words to heart and I realized this when I received my

first test grade.

When it came time for the first test I was not too nervous. I had done all the homework

and skimmed through the book so I figured I was in good position to at least make a solid B. The

test came around and as I looked down at the very first question I immediately knew that this

was not going to be a walk in the park. I took almost all of the allotted time to take it and left

stressed and overwhelmed with the feeling of defeat. I anxiously awaited for the email to arrive

form my professor with the grade I had earned on our first exam. The email finally arrived and I

hesitated to open it. I knew it was not going to be what I had hoped for. It was at this moment

that I received my first C in college, my first C ever.

The grade for this accounting course largely consisted of only three test grades so I knew

it would take some hard work to come back from this. I was down in the dumps and needed

some picking up. I called my parents in hopes that they would not be too disappointed in me and

could give some great words of encouragement. I will always remember my father telling me on

the phone that he would never be disappointed in me as long as I tried my best. He said that I

should just take this as a learning experience, buckle down, and refocus. At the end of the

conversation he, of course, uttered the infamous line, “Don’t forget why you’re there.” I left the

conversation feeling inspired and ready to take on the next test. His oh so encouraging words let

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me know that I would face challenges, and it is okay if I do not always get something right as

long as I learn from it and bounce back. His words helped give me the motivation I needed to

study harder for the next test and make that solid B I had been hoping for.

This particular artifact has been substantial to me and my growth all throughout college. I

actually had not given much thought to attending UNC Charlotte as I had already accepted

admissions to Spelman College. It is one of the top historically black all women colleges located

in Atlanta, with the price tag to match. So, when I received a scholarship for only in state schools

I had to reconsider. My father was actually the one that suggested I tour this campus… and look

at me today. He also has the habit of saying “everything happens for a reason” and this just goes

to show how true that is.

In research review, A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and

Community Connections on Student Achievement, Anne T. Henderson and Karen L. Mapp

concluded that there is a positive correlation between family relationships and academic success

regardless of race/ethnicity, class, or parents’ level of education (“Report: The Positive

Relationship”). I have the tendency to stress over little things. However, keeping that phrase in

the back of my mind has helped me to remember why I am here and that it will all be worth it in

the end. No matter the topic of the conversation, whether it be about my worries on a test or how

well I did on a presentation, my father’s words have remained as a constant reminder in my head

that college is a place for progression and learning. He did not send me to this university to be

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like Sam, hesitant and close minded, but to learn more about myself and become the best me

possible. These five simple words have kept me going and have kept my mind open to all the

great opportunities college presents us with.

Marketing Concepts

As I begin this long process of reflection I now see that one’s college journey is not just

about education, but also about self-discovery. My Marketing Concepts class is where this

journey really began to solidify for me which is why it is my second artifact. You would think

that self-discovery lies in some life changing cataclysmic event, but for the purpose of choosing

a major for me it simply lay in a basic marketing class.

Marketing concepts is the first class that you take once you have declared a marketing

major. You learn topics such as the four p’s of marketing: product, place, price, and promotion

that really lay the foundation and basic concepts for the rest of the courses in the major. I came

in as an undecided major contrary to all of my friends. I was considering psychology at the time

simply because I thought it would be an interesting and easy major, but I can be quite indecisive

and was not completely sure of this decision. My parents suggested that I keep my options open

and look into other majors. In addition, freshman year my advisor for undecided majors

suggested that I take an Economics class to get a feel for the business program since I took a few

business courses in High School from my local community college that I did very well in. Yes,

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these were all great suggestions, but ultimately the decision lay within me, which brought about

much hesitation and anxiety.

Deciding on a major may not seem like a big deal for some, but for me it produced a

large internal battle. As I mentioned before, all of my friends came in as declared majors

knowing what they wanted to do and it seemed like I was the only unsure one. In high school I

had changed my mind about the career path I wanted to take so many times. I wanted to be a

pharmacist for as long as I can remember. I really never had a passion for counting pills, but

those six figures and the idea of more than just financial stability made it seem like a great idea.

After that I wanted to be a pediatric oncologist which later changed to a child psychologist. Upon

my admission to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte I was still no closer to a decision.

College and this new found adulthood was a scary thought for me. Only a few short

months ago I had to raise my hand and ask for permission to use the restroom; now I was

expected to make all of these big life decisions. What if I never discovered my true passion?

What if I ended up in a career that I loathed? Or worse, what if I graduated and ended up with no

job at all forced to go back home and live with my parents? All of these what ifs with no clear

answers.

However, Marketing Concepts gave me one of the first answers I would need on this

journey. I actually enjoyed the subject matter in this course and it was one of the few classes that

I did not mind attending. In other classes I would find myself struggling to stay focused. I would

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be so bored because the material simply did not interest me. However, in marketing concepts I

did not face this same struggle. I just found myself very interested and connected to all that we

learning and I found myself wanting to know more about the interesting and dynamic field of

marketing. This class helped me discover the path that I want to take in life. This class helped me

solidify the decision to major in marketing which set the tone for the rest of my time at UNC

Charlotte and possibly my future.

In Dr. Seuss Green Eggs and Ham Sam is pressured to try green eggs and ham,

something unusual and foreign to him. He resists with much hesitation at first. Then finally

something in him says try the food and he comes to discover that he actually likes it. I think that

for me this force is always remembering the words of my Father in the back of my head. For me

this simple children’s story represents the same shift in me that we see in Sam. At first I was very

reluctant to explore other options as suggested by others because it was new and untouched

ground for me. Yet, once I decided to become more open minded about the situation I ended up

discovering a true passion of mine, which released a lot of the anxiety I had allowing me to

navigate through college with a freer mind.

Microsoft Award

My third artifact is an award that I received from the Microsoft campus here in Charlotte,

North Carolina. Last year in the Student Union, Microsoft held an information session on the

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upcoming Blacks at Microsoft Minority Student Day. I left the program thinking that it was an

interesting opportunity, but unsure if I would apply. I hesitated on applying, but at literally the

very last minute I decided to write the essay for my application which simultaneously entered

you into a contest. I am not quite sure why I all of sudden decided to apply, but I believe that

subconsciously I again remembered my father telling me to never forget why I am here and to

never sell myself short.

The topic of the essay was, “As the new CEO how would you position Microsoft to

continue leading in the technology industry?” This was right up my alley as a marketing student.

I pulled everything that I could remember from my marketing concepts course to develop an

essay that would fully answer this question. In my essay I began with a quote from Bill gates, the

founder of Microsoft himself, to set the frame for all that I would be discussing in my essay.

Throughout I discussed topics such a product positioning, brand personality, and product

differentiation. I decided to write this essay from a marketing prospective because it was what I

knew best and I felt that it would help make it stand out amongst the other applicants.

Much to my delight my application was accepted. In a few short months I was headed off

to Microsoft, one bright and early morning, dressed in my finest business attire. Sometimes I

struggle with being on time, but that morning I planned for traffic and all. They say to arrive

early is to be on time, and if that is the case, I was defiantly on time. I arrived on the campus,

parked and I remembering calling my mom and talking to her for a while since I was extra early.

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I began to see a few more people arrive so I decided to go on in. Upon my arrival I received a

name tag and was escorted to the room I would be spending the day in. I sat at a table mixed with

high school students and other college students from around the area. We participated in several

group activities and had an information session on the products offered at Microsoft.

All in all, it was a very informational day, but the biggest shock came at the end. They

began to announce the winners of the essay contest and to my surprise they called my name as

the second place winner. One of the employees for Microsoft that was running the Blacks at

Microsoft Minority Student Day told me that my essay was very impressive as I was accepting

my award. As reward for winning second place, I was extended the amazing opportunity to come

back and job shadow, as well as learn more about their college hire program known as the

Microsoft Academy for College Hires (MACH).

My “Day at Microsoft” that I won was such a rewarding experience. The morning began

in a conference room where I and the other winner listened to presentations on the products

offered at Microsoft and some of the many career options at this company. We also had a video

conference call from a student who attended UNC Charlotte that was recently hired by

Microsoft. At the end of every session we were required to write on an electronic board two

things that we learned. I really liked this portion because it allowed us to immediately reflect on

everything that we had just taken in. Following all of the presentations and the conference call

we split up and I had the chance to shadow many of the career options at Microsoft such as a

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Technical Account Manager, commonly referred to as a TAM. Each employee that I job

shadowed took me to their cubicle and walked me through what a typical day at the office was

like for them. As I was walking around I also got the chance to meet some of the recent students

from the MACH program.

In addition, I got the opportunity to ask an abundance of questions, participate in a mock

interview with immediate feedback, and have my resume critiqued. The day concluded with a

panel of students from the MACH program ready to answer any burning questions that we might

have. I left that day with valuable lessons on networking, interviewing, resume building, and not

to mention some really nice Microsoft goodies including a USB stick, the latest Microsoft Office

Software, and a very comfortable t-shirt. Ultimately I left there inspired by all of the employees I

met that day who took the time out of their busy schedules to work with me.

This was a significant experience in my undergraduate career. I learned that sometimes

you can be your own greatest obstacle. You cannot be afraid to step through the many doors that

open for you or even afraid to fail. If I had kept the same mindset that Sam had throughout the

beginning of Green Eggs and Ham I would have missed out on this opportunity and the chance

to learn some valuable skills that I can take with me further down the road.

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Honors Community Service Lab Volunteer Log

My fourth artifact is the volunteer log showing the community service hours I completed

for my Honors Community Service Lab. For this course we were required to complete forty

hours of community service. I chose to fulfill my requirements at The Boys and Girls Club of

Greater Charlotte. In high school I volunteered regularly at underprivileged elementary schools

as a mentor and tutor. I loved working with those students and being able to build a mentoring

relationship with them. The greatest feeling was knowing that I could potentially have a great

impact on some aspect of their young and innocent lives. This is why I chose this particular

organization to do my community service at. I already had a connection to the cause and

everything that I wanted to get out of volunteering was directly aligned with the goals of the

Boys and Girls Club.  

I admire what the Boys and Girls club stands for and what they are dedicated to. This

organization is focused on enabling young people to reach their full potential by providing a safe

place to learn and grow. According to national statistics from the organization children in the

club have an average improvement of twelve percent in their grades at school. In addition,

members of the club finish college at a rate of twenty-five percent, which exceeds the national

average of sixteen percent (Results). As a volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club I would be

acting as a tutor and mentor by helping with homework, math/reading/spelling skills and giving

the kids the attention they need and deserve.

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This was something I could stand for and feel great to be a part of so my first step was to

determine which club I would volunteer at then apply. I did research to find a club within a

reasonable distance from the school and came across The Marsh Road Club location. When I

went there to apply the directors were very friendly. I was told that many students from UNC

Charlotte had volunteered there. After I filled out the application and background check one of

the students from the club gave me a tour. She spoke so positively about the club and I remember

her giving the tour with so much energy and enthusiasm. It really made an impression on me that

a student gave the tour rather than one of the directors. It showed me how involved the students

were in the club and that it was a place they genuinely enjoyed being at. I then knew that I had

picked a great location to volunteer at that was fully committed to the mission of the Boys and

Girls club.

On the days that I volunteered I would go to the Marsh Road Club right after I finished

my classes for the day. Once the students arrived they would go straight into “Power Hour.”

During this time I would help the students with whatever homework they had and just talk to

them about their lives. It surprised me that people so young could have so much to say. As I

would help one student another would ask for my help on their homework and before I could

finish with that student another would be asking for help. They all seemed so glad to have

someone there and it made me feel very appreciative. It was apparent that they wanted someone

to show genuine interest and care in them.

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After Power Hour the students were allowed to go outside for physical activity. In order

to go outside you have to keep your grades up and have a certain GPA. I saw this as a great

incentive to promote higher grades because what kid does not want to go outside and play?

Afterwards, the youth at the club would participate in programs based on their age group. I sat in

on a presentation about breast cancer by a representative from the Susan G. Coleman Foundation

with the older girls. The presentation was very informative, even to me. Even at a young age I

think that educational programs such as that one are very beneficial. It is never too early to begin

informing youth about their bodies and health.

During my time at the Boys and Girls Club there was one fifth grade girl in particular that

instantly bonded with me. It took her no time to open up to me about the many problems she was

having in school. I believe that she opened up so quickly because I look very young so I

appeared to be an older figure she could come to without it being so intimidating. We often

talked about her grades and how she was always getting into trouble at school. As I mentioned

before, because she was not maintaining a certain GPA should could not go outside when the

other students did. I saw this as a great opportunity for me to give her advice and words of

encouragement to do better in school. I truly believe that me showing an interest in her life and

future did impact her even if it was just a slight impact because she begin to open up to me even

more. Surprisingly, one day she asked me to attend her awards ceremony at school for having

perfect attendance. This really meant and said a lot to me. It made me realize that not everyone is

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fortunate enough to have the same support system that I do, for instance my father who I

mentioned in my first artifact. Even though it was a small request and I was unable to attend I

felt honored that she would ask someone she just met to come support her at such an event.

This artifact to me resonates with the “new Sam”. By already having an open-mind and

willingness to do this community service I actually got something out of it rather than just going

through the motions. It helped me to realize that volunteering is much more than just completing

some hours to put down on an application or resume. It is about sacrificing your valuable time

and instead doing something to better your community, others, and yourself. It also helped me to

understand that people come from all walks of life and that we all face struggles, different, but

struggles nonetheless. In college and in life period it is essential to have someone in your corner

to push you to try new things and not be afraid to seize opportunities like the character did for

Sam in Green Eggs and Ham.

Altered Book Project

For my fifth artifact I am reflecting on an Altered Book project that I completed for my

Freshman Seminar class. The purpose of this project was to help us explore and answer the

question “Who are you?” which is something many freshman struggle with upon being exposed

to a whole new world from what they knew in high school. A look through the book was

supposed to represent a clearly defined picture of our point of views. The assignment was to take

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an old book and completely alter and redecorate ten pages. Each page had to be a visual

metaphor for our stance on different issues and topics. We had to convey our views on family

and relationships, religion, politics, how the media has influenced us, the war in Iraq, gender

issues, the environment, how we view ourselves, and our view on life itself.

I did not have any old books lying around that I wanted to use so I went to the thrift store

with my roommate. We perused through tons of books, but none of them really caught my

attention, nor seemed fitting for the situation. Then I finally came across a book entitled Men are

from Mars Women are from Venus. I thought that this was absolutely perfect for a project where

I would be discussing my different viewpoints. I did not read the book, however the title just

seemed so controversial and opinionated. So I guess you can say I literally judged a book by its

cover like Sam did in automatically assuming he did not like the green eggs and ham. It only

made sense to choose this book for a project where I would interpreting my own personal view

on controversial topics.

Now that I had finally chosen a book I needed to focus on the visual aspect of the project.

So, I went to Walmart and purchased colorful tie-dye tape to bind the pages, glitter, and a variety

of 3-D stickers and bows to decorate with. On each page I used pictures, quotes, clippings from

newspapers and magazines, and I even incorporated text from the pages of the books that

associated with the topic to fully convey how I felt about each concept. Every page turned out to

be very different and unique in its own right just like my views.

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My favorite page in my altered book is without a doubt the book is the one where I

express my views on life. This page is the most significant to me because it is the last and it in a

sense culminates everything I have expressed on the other nine pages. For the background of this

particular page I glued down a picture of the game board Life. On it I included several different

inspirational quotes that I like to live by and that motivate me. One of the quotes I included is my

absolute favorite “Everything happens for a reason”, that I mentioned in an earlier artifact.

Another quote I used was “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared

to what lies within us.” Which this entire project and my college journey are about, discovering

my true inner self.

Looking back on the project I can really see how it reflects my standpoint on certain

issues and identifies who I see myself as. This project really allowed me to learn about myself

and make a lot of self-discovery concerning where I stand on current issues in the world. Prior to

this assignment I had not given much thought to where I stand on political and environmental

issues, but doing this forced me to reflect more on these topics and take a stand point. If there is

one thing that I have learned in college it is important to have your own opinions and views and

stand for them.

After completing this project I had a clearer understanding of where I stood on the topic

of war. On the page where I reflected these views I included a picture that says “If war is the

answer we are asking the wrong question.” I completely agree with this statement. Yes, there

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may be a benefit from war, but I do not see how it outweighs all of the lives lost and destruction

that comes from it. It also helped me develop an environmental outlook. After taking the time to

really consider how I felt about the environment while doing my altered book I actually begin

using the recycle bin in our dorm room and then sorting the items into the proper cans in the

trash room. All throughout my college experience these discoveries I made about my viewpoints

have not changed, but only strengthened.

I thoughtfully chose to place this artifact after my community service lab reflection. Upon

the conclusion of my reflection in that artifact one can see where I begin to transition into the

new Sam. This particular artifact highlights me really entering into my new Sam phase. I go

beyond the realization that I do like green eggs and ham to having a deeper understanding of

who I am that continued the rest of my time at UNC Charlotte.

Creativity Speaks

My next artifact is a project presentation that I did for my Creativity and Innovation

marketing elective. The objective of this class was to teach us just how important being creative

is to the marketing field and innovation of new products. For my creativity speaks project I chose

to create a slide show presentation entitled “Creative DIY’s for College Students Balling on a

Budget.” In my presentation I featured really creative do it yourself (DIY) projects for items that

would otherwise be expensive for a college student on a budget to purchase. There were no set in

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stone requirements for this project which is really out of the box for college. We were given as

much freedom as we wanted to be creative and innovative.

I honestly do not know how I came up with the idea for this project. It just spontaneously

came to me while sitting in a hotel room on vacation. I was laying in the bed thinking what in the

world am I going to do this project on when the idea just popped into my head. I began more

research on it and came across an abundance of DIY’s that would be quite useful to the average

college student. The hardest part about this project was actually deciding which DIYs to use

because there were so many interesting and unique ones. I decided to stick with this idea and use

a PowerPoint to relay my findings.

The DIY’s I chose to mention in my presentation were smartphone amplifying speakers,

Listerine foot soak instead of going to the spa, a pizza box laptop stand, smartphone projector,

and a hanger chip clip. I chose these particular projects because they were simple, affordable,

and relatable to college students. Before I began discussing each of the DIY’s in the presentation,

I included a slide defining balling on a budget with an example of it used in a sentence for those

who may not be familiar with the terminology. On each slide I used pictures to demonstrate how

to make the DIY and a short description of how each one benefited a college student balling on a

budget. Since this was a creativity class I tried to incorporate a little bit of humor into each slide

which my professor and classmates seemed to respond to very well.

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I received great feedback on this project from my teacher and fellow classmates. I think

that they liked how I brought a little humor and creativity to the project, but it was still

something very relatable. All throughout the presentation my classmates were laughing and very

engaged. After I finished one of my classmates even mentioned to me how much he enjoyed my

creativity speaks. I received a 100 on the project and could not have asked for anything better. I

can say that this is one of the few projects that I legitimately enjoyed working on because the

requirements were not so strict. Doing this project helped me to see the conditions I like to work

under and gave me great consideration towards future jobs that I might consider in the marketing

field.

Completing this assignment showed me just how essential it is to be creative and have

your own unique voice. Being allowed to express yourself freely and tap into your creativity can

produce positive results. Just like Sam, I learned that it can be beneficial to venture out and try

new avenues instead of sticking with the same old way of doing things. Many other professors

do this on projects. They stick to a specific format and rubric and if you deviate from that your

grade will ultimately suffer. If I was forced to do that with my creativity speaks the end result

just would not have been the same, it would not have been as intriguing and engaging. Applying

this project to life showed me that it is important to go through life and not view things so

harshly and in strict lines, but with an open mind and heart.

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Uptown Picture

Another artifact I have chosen is a picture of me and my friends on our first adventure to

Uptown Charlotte. This artifact is significant to me because it correlates very well with my

theme of stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things and exemplifies what life and

college are all about. That being you cannot be afraid to explore new opportunities and take leaps

of faith like Sam when he finally decided to try the green eggs and ham.

Before I started college my mom signed me up for Safe Voyage through the Student

Advising for Freshman Excellence (S.A.F.E.) program. The SAFE Program is a peer mentoring

program designed to help students successfully transition through their first year of college.

Students are matched with upper-classmen who will serve as mentors for them during their

freshman year. Voyage is a pre-orientation program that allowed us to move onto campus early,

learn to navigate the campus, connect with students and faculty, attend workshops, and explore

the many student organizations and departments. Move in day for voyage just so happened to fall

on my birthday. I moved away from home and into college on the very day that I turned

eighteen. I was excited and ready to take on this new found adulthood.

On the very first night during SAFE Voyage three other girls that I just met and I were

bored in the dorms. The school year had not officially started so there was nothing to do on

campus. We impulsively decided to take public transportation, since none of us had our cars,

Uptown in a city we had never lived in before. This may not seem like a big deal or a huge

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adventure for some, but for me it was. I have lived majority of my life in Fayetteville, North

Carolina. It is not a little country town or anything, but it is a small city made notable by the

military base Fort Bragg. Nonetheless, we do not have skyscrapers and stunning buildings in our

downtown area. Taking this trip to uptown on the bus made me feel like such a hip city slicker.

Uptown Charlotte is a very different environment and feel then what you get in Fayetteville.

Downtown Fayetteville feels very old and historic with a few shops, restaurants, a very small

movie theater, and many vacant storefronts compared to the hustle and bustle of Uptown.

Once we decided on what we were going to do we looked up the bus schedule and found

the stops around campus. We all lived in the high rises so we took the bus from the stop right

outside of the main entrance to campus. Somehow we ended up missing the bus. This was

probably due to our lack of experience with public transportation and not knowing that you

cannot follow the schedule to a tee. It did not seem to take long for the next bus to come, but we

were just overwhelmed with thrill and excitement. We finally got on the bus and took our seats.

The trip was about an hour long because of all the stops. While on the bus we laughed and took

so many pictures. We probably seemed like such tourists in the minds of those who regularly

rode the bus.

The bus finally arrived Uptown much to our anticipation. Before we began our adventure

we made sure to check the schedule again and see when the buses stopped running. We did not

want to get stranded uptown on our first night in charlotte. Now that would have been a story to

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tell. While uptown we simply walked around taking pictures, taking in the new sights, and

enjoying our new found freedom. I took pictures of everything from the tall lit up buildings, to

fancy cars, intricate statues, and so much more.

As we walked around we came across many homeless people. One of the homeless men

was walking around shaking a water bottle vigorously and loudly singing Beyoncé’s Who Run

the World. My friend Kadijah sped off like a racecar in fear. I was too busy laughing hysterically

at how fast her long legs were moving to even have concern with his actions. Reflecting back, I

now see just how dangerous that was, it was quite obvious that he was not in a normal mental

state and there is no telling what he could have done. However, in that moment we were simply

enjoying life.

The following day during lunch we mentioned to one of our SAFE counselors about the

trip we had taken. Much to our surprise he said that we had taken one of the most dangerous bus

routes in Charlotte. We were obviously clueless and naïve to this. We just wanted to venture out

and take advantage of our freedom. After hearing that I began to understand everything my mom

had preached to me before I went off to college. Yes, it was annoying hearing her repeat the

same message over and over, but I begin to appreciate it. I knew she only did it because she truly

cared and wanted the best for me. I then knew that it was okay to go out and enjoy life as long as

I remain responsible and conscious of all my actions.

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I do not regret taking that trip for a second. It always gives me a great story to tell and

those same girls are my closest friends to this very day. I am so glad that I stepped out of my

shell and allowed myself to experience something new and adventurous, because in the end only

good came from it. I gained new friends and memories that I can cherish for a lifetime. It also

showed me that even though I came from a not so big town and a slightly sheltered life, I could

handle myself in this new, big city.

Emerging Leaders Group Picture

My last artifact is my group picture taken on a retreat for the Emerging Leaders program.

Emerging Leaders offers a select group of freshman the opportunity to develop their leadership

skills. It is designed to help freshman become even better leaders and start their college career

off on the right foot. Students are assigned groups and each group has a peer advising leader

(PAL) that serves as mentor for them throughout the program. Throughout this program we met

once a week for about two hours. We went on retreats, attended workshops, and did exercises

that taught us valuable skills on how to be an effective leader, time management, conflict

management, and so much more.

During our first official meeting I can remember playing several ice breakers. I am

usually not all that enthusiastic about playing these games because everyone does the same ones

over and over. However, my fellow Emerging Leaders were such a dynamic and interesting

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group of people. They all had very different personalities and styles. I soon became very

enthused about connecting with each and every person there on some level. I thoroughly enjoyed

myself that day and that first meeting really set the tone for the rest of the year. Each week I

would be looking forward to spending two hours with my peers learning and developing

ourselves as leaders on this campus.

In January, all of the Emerging Leaders were required to attend a retreat at Camp

Dogwood. Going in I knew that this would be a great weekend if the previous meetings were any

inclination of how the retreat would unfold. While at the retreat we participated in several skill

building activities. I can particularly remember one night at Camp Dogwood we all stayed up

late and played games. I was involved in a highly competitive card game of Spoons. In this game

one less spoon than the amount of players is placed in the middle of the table. Cards are passed

around in a circle and the object of spoons is to get four of a kind. When this happens you yell

spoons and everyone reaches for one. Whoever does not get a spoon is out and this continues

until there are two people left with only one spoon in the middle. This particular game got so

heated that people were practically jumping across the table to reach for a spoon. I left the game

that night with a battle wound. Somehow during the scuffle I managed to get a nice scratch on

my hand. One would probably be mad about this, but for us it was all fun and games. For me,

every time I looked down at my hand and saw that scar it took me back to a fun time of bonding

and no worries or stress.

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Come April my time with Emerging Leaders was over and it was time for graduation. I

was sad that this wonderful experience was coming to an end, but I was all smiles at graduation.

At the end we all got up and did a shuffle dance together. It really showed just how much we had

bonded and connected with one another. My PAL also gave me an envelope containing a

personal letter from him and the group picture we took while on the retreat at Camp Dogwood. I

still have that envelope to this day. Even after Emerging Leaders my Pal called me to inform me

about an internship opportunity being offered at the place he worked. This again just showed me

the amazing connections I was able to make during my time with Emerging Leaders.

I learned about this program during the time I participated in the SAFE Program. Many

of the counselors were in Emerging Leaders as well and highly encouraged all of us to apply. My

SAFE counselors were the impetus that pushed me to be in Emerging Leaders much like the

character did for Sam in encouraging him to try the green eggs and ham. I am glad and grateful

that they encouraged me to do so and helped push me to try something new.

Emerging Leaders was one of the first organizations that I joined on this campus. It was

truly a stepping stone for me to get even more involved on campus. It really introduced me to the

concept of being a leader and the significance of getting involved on campus and in your

community. According to the OrgSync Blog the National Survey of Student Engagement

(NSSE) shows that student success is directly linked to student involvement. NSSE studies

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showed that the more involved students are, the more invested they will be. In addition, the

higher the student involvement the higher studnets grades will be (Student Involvement).

Being a part of this organization allowed me to make some great connections and build

lasting relationships. I know for a fact that the reputation of this organization is what helped me

to earn a position as a SAFE Counselor the following year. This was a great opportunity for me

just coming into college. As a SAFE Counselor I recommended Emerging Leaders to all my

mentees and still proudly wear my EL shirt today.

Sam I am, I do like green eggs and ham

I guess you can say that I was not the typical “high schooler” that you see in movies. I

went to a very small early college high school, my graduating class was only a mere thirty-eight

people. I never went through a wild phase that most teenagers go through. I was all about my

books and my friends, who were just like me. The most we ever did was hang out at each other’s

houses or got to the movies. In a sense I was very sheltered, but I never felt like I did not have

my own freedom. My parents just were and still are very protective and caring. So coming into

college, like Sam, I was not used to stepping outside of the box and trying outrageously new

things. I held in a bit of hesitation to just getting out there and getting involved and meeting new

people. When I first meet people I have the tendency to be shy, but as I have gone through my

four years here and went through all the experiences that I have mentioned in my artifacts such

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as my first uptown adventure and community service experience I have grown to be more open

and understanding of myself.

For me this process has been challenging but all the while a very insightful process. As I

mentioned early on I am a true marketing major at heart. I love creating presentations and public

speaking. In my major, that is majority of what we do. It seems like I always have a group

project or something to present. In my Marketing Strategy Consultancy senior capstone course I

have a ten page minimum paper and fifteen minute presentation to present with my group every

week. So, having to take a step back from that thinking process and writing a full on reflective

paper was a bit out of my niche. Working on this showed me just how much my major is for me.

Yet, as I write this conclusion I now see that facing challenges head on is necessary in life to

grow as a person and to fuel your knowledge for future endeavors.

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Works Cited

Bodkin, Charles. “Syllabus of Marketing Concepts.” University of North Carolina at Charlotte,

2013. Print.

Emerging Leaders Graduation Certificate, Charlotte, North Carolina. Personal photograph by

author. 2014.

Green Eggs and Ham. New York City: Beginner, 1988. Print.

Lesesne, Asia. Altered Book Project. 2011. Personal Collection, University of North Carolina at

Charlotte.

Lesesne, Asia. Community Service Lab Final Reflection. 2013. Personal Collection, University

of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Lesesne, Asia. "Creative DIY’s for College Students Balling on a Budget." 2014. PowerPoint

presentation.

Lesesne, Reginald. Phone call. 2011-2014

Microsoft Award, Charlotte, North Carolina. Personal photograph by author. 2014.

"Report: The Positive Relationship Between Family Involvement and Student Success." National

PTA. National PTA. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.

"Results." Boys and Girls Club. Jackson Spalding. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.

"Student Involvement Means Success All Around." The OrgSync Blog. OrgSync.com, 4 June

2009. Web. 3 Apr. 2015.

Uptown, Charlotte, North Carolina. Personal photograph by author. 2011.