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Tiona Wu

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In my time at college, I’ve been fortunate enough to explore the academic avenues I have interest in, encouraged at every turn by my professors, advisors, and friends. A definite highlight in the myriad of opportunities I’ve been afforded is my experience at the Behavioral, Health, and Social (BHS) Psychology Laboratory on campus.

I joined this psychology research lab as a freshman who knew very little, and now as an
upperclassman who knows marginally more, I am very grateful for all the things that this lab taught me. Being a part of BHS lab transformed research from something that was intimidatingly academic to an intellectually stimulating activity shared between a group of wonderful students I may not have had the good fortune to meet otherwise. The collaboration-based teamwork strategy encouraged by our BHS faculty advisors made even the most routine proofreading tasks more enjoyable and I will always hold dear the memories I’ve made in lab class, which served as both a reprieve from my regular classes and a space where I could explore all the psych-related questions I desired to.

Currently, BHS lab is working to distribute a school-wide survey aiming to assess Lewis & Clark student attitudes and beliefs towards the Covid-19 vaccine. Seeing the fruits of our labor take shape in such tangible ways that can lead to substantial interventions to better public health and our community is an indescribably validating feeling I’m so thankful to be able to experience. As we pass the anniversary of when Covid-19 upturned the lives of everyone I know in ways that would have been incomprehensible just one short year ago, it leaves me feeling reflective upon my time at Lewis & Clark.

In the aftermath of Covid-19, I made the decision to graduate early and cut short my time at college. It was a bittersweet decision, as I was grateful to have finally found direction in the midst of an uncertain time, but it was incredibly saddening to give up my senior year. In this new timeline, I’ve found a new appreciation for the unspoken things college has to offer, the little things that fall outside the realm of academia. As Portland comes into its own in the springtime, I’ve enjoyed basking in the patches of sun on campus, attempting to feed the squirrels I see, and simply not taking the time I have here for granted.

All in all, I’ve learnt so many things beyond what I expected to at college, and as vaccines roll in and the world slowly returns to some semblance of normalcy, I encourage you to take the time to properly take advantage of the delightful things college has to offer!
Tiona Y. Wu (she/ her) ’21