I had a blast volunteering again this year for the University of Memphis Chemistry Department Outreach event. This was my second year in a row getting to talk with dual enrollment high school students visiting campus, and it was really fun to share my story with them. I talked about starting out as an undergraduate at UTK before transferring here to the University of Memphis, and this year I also got to speak more about what it looks like to get ready for graduate school. It felt good to be honest about the college experience and to share a few simple tips like staying organized, asking questions, using your resources, and giving yourself time to grow into who you want to be.

One of my favorite parts was asking if anyone was thinking about majoring in Chemistry. Last year I opened with that question and nobody raised their hand. This year I waited until the end, and two students raised their hands, which honestly made me laugh. Maybe the demonstrations won them over this time. Overall, it was such a great experience, and I am really glad I got to be part of it again.