During my third week of AYA, we had several guest speakers who were previous alumni of the program. Their names were Kalyn Mason, Devin Huynh, Kaitlin Huang, Leyla Navarrete, Zoilo Perez, and Troi-Lyn Moore.
I was really inspired by what they had to say about the importance of not getting into your dream school. They emphasized that “rejection is redirection.” This really resonated with me because I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason, and that what is meant for someone will come find them. It also reminded me that the brand of a college is not as important as we’re often led to believe, although it is nice to represent a well-known and respected college. However, you can still be successful regardless of where you go to school. Leyla Navarrete, who’s energy I absolutely loved, shared her experience working at a law firm with colleagues who had attended Harvard and Cal State LA, emphasizing that it’s the effort, dedication, and skills you put in that matters the most. Their stories of being rejected from their dream schools were very reassuring considering that they were all set on a good path on becoming what they have always wanted to pursue, even if it meant not getting accepted into a prestigious school.
Additionally, this week taught me the valuable lesson of networking and making connections. The guest speakers shared how the relationships they built during their time at AYA played an important role in their professional journeys, and we were encouraged to reach out to people we look up to in a professional manner, not just for interviews but to build meaningful connections that could later serve us in our future careers, even if it’s just having a trusted mentor that could give you advice and tell you about their experience.
During this week, we learned a little more about photography and we were given some really nice cameras. I was grateful for the opportunity to learn how to use them. Overall, I had an incredible time, and I really appreciated the independence we were given in pursuing our projects, all while still receiving help and guidance through tasks when needed. The way that the assignments were not graded took a lot of pressure off, and it made them more enjoyable to complete. I also found the suggestions and feedback to be very helpful.
Communicating Change 