Name: Fleur Uittenbogaard
Synapses: Connections + Community
In neuroscience, a synapse occurs when two neurons meet, allowing for the transmission of "messages" through the release and binding of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) from one neuron to the other. A single neuron might have one or tens of thousands of synapses. Synapses are the way that your brain communicates to itself and to the rest of the body. I think this aptly describes making connections and building community: connecting with individuals through conversations that lead to whole networks of people that make up a community. Here, I highlight some of the communities that have greatly impacted me and made me feel at home at UW.
Honors
While my journey in Honors began right when I started as a freshman at UW, making the decision to apply to be a peer educator during winter quarter of freshman year-- while it sounds a bit dramatic-- altered the course of my education.
I became so much more involved with the Honors community. Now I wasn't just a student, but also an educator, a student leader, and cheerleader for the Honors Program. I also got the opportunity to get to know Claire and Nadra, my two incredible advisors, more closely.
Below are all of my reflections from being a Peer Educator. I'm so lucky to have gotten to do this all three years it was possible. This also means that there are six reflections to read through so if you only want the highlights, read the final year (2022), as I reflect on the previous experiences as well.
Then, in Autumn of 2022, I was invited to be an Honors Peer Advisor. This meant that I got to interact with students in a similar, yet also very different way. This experience has been way more fun than I was first expecting and I feel so grateful that the Honors team thought of me.
See the pictures on the right for some moments of the past few years that have stood out to me: pictures of this year's and last year's retreat, of when Claire came back to visit, of the Peer Educator reunion BeReal, and of Honors office decorations + BeReals.
Neuroscience
It seems that I keep coming back to neuroscience. I think part of the reason that my major has made such a significant impact on me was because of the people.
The neuroscience program at UW uses a cohort model. My cohort has about 50 people in it. This meant that all of my neuro classes have been comprised of only these 50 people. This meant that I have gotten to know them well over the past two years, and some well before even applying to the major.
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What has really stood out to me is how truly collaborative our cohort is. Even when classes are graded on a curve, we are constantly sharing resources, offering support, studying together, and making a point of doing non-neuro outings too.
I couldn't talk about my neuroscience community without mentioning my two closest friends from the program: Katie and Meera. Pictured repeatedly on the left and down below, they are what has gotten me through it. From last minute lab reports, to post-exam blues and highs, to our (many!) study sessions, it wouldn't have been the same with them. They've transcended simply being "school friends" and I know that I will cherish our friendship well beyond UW.
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I am eternally thankful for getting the privilege to be part of such an intelligent, driven, and caring group of people.
CLUE
I began to work at CLUE summer of 2020. It was a really unique experience starting tutoring in the then all-new virtual sphere.
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Tutoring through the pandemic was something that was both incredibly fulfilling and challenging at the same time. We were acting as some students' only form of social contact, and the conversations that naturally arose from this are some that I will forever remember.
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Then, in 2021 we got to go back in person! This was my first year as the Lead Writing Tutor, so navigating this transition was my first task. This was also equally exciting and challenging.
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I am so fortunate to have met so many incredible people. My teams of tutors across the years have been amazing to work with. The leadership has also been so strong-- Lizzy, Ali, Eli, and Ryan were not only incredibly supportive but also pushed me to become a better leader.
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I will sincerely miss so many people, and the incredible environment created by CLUE.
