Just before fall break, what should have been a relaxed day on campus felt unexpectedly tense for me. While many students were preparing to leave, I sat at my desk revising the same emails and interview outlines again and again. I was developing my graduate school portfolio, which required conducting interviews related to youth employment. To move this work forward, I hoped to reach out to staff at Penn Career Services to ask whether they might be open to a brief interview.
Writing those emails proved more difficult than I expected. I wasn’t sure whether a request that fell outside their daily responsibilities would be welcomed. I carefully read through staff profiles, trying to show that my outreach was thoughtful and well prepared rather than a casual interruption. At the same time, I felt conflicted—worried that my emails might go unanswered, yet equally anxious about whether I could conduct a non-structured interview clearly in English if someone did agree.
To my surprise, I received sincere and considerate responses. Some staff members explained that this was one of their busiest times of the year and asked for more details before coordinating a meeting. Their replies made me realize that my request was being taken seriously.
During the interviews, I did encounter challenges. There were moments when I struggled to phrase follow-up questions precisely or hesitated due to language limitations. What reassured me was the patience and engagement of the people I spoke with. They took time to clarify my questions and offered thoughtful insights within the time available. At the end of one conversation, Dr. Barber told me, “This design looks very exciting. I hope it can better support young job seekers and make fuller use of the potential of AI models.” That moment gave me a strong sense of confidence and validation.
Looking back, these emails and conversations meant far more than progress on a portfolio. They helped me understand that academic and professional dialogue is not reserved for those who feel completely ready, but is something that can be entered through initiative, sincerity, and preparation. As an international student, I had often waited for certainty before acting. This experience taught me that many opportunities must be actively created, and that meaningful growth often happens between hesitation and effort.
Within the Penn learning environment, I began to see initiative not as a burden, but as a skill. Even with imperfect language and experience still in progress, I learned that I could take part in meaningful conversations and speak about issues I care about. Building this confidence has been one of the most valuable parts of my time at Penn and in IGSP.
