The UW experience

As my time is coming to a close here at the UW in Seattle, I feel like summing up my academic experience a bit. I came here from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville – a small town in Northwest AR – where people are extremely friendly and hospitable. My professors there have my respect forever for all the great work they do. Their engagement in their students’ life is remarkable. They always showed sincere interest and helped me (and other students) out wherever they could. Their honesty and caring made my experience there so much more positive than I had expected it before. Arkansas might not be the place where I would want to live, but I would like to have colleagues like my professors there any time!
So, this was the background setting before I came to Seattle. I had gotten to know the city many years before and I absolutely loved it. I was very excited to start my Ph.D. program at such a prestigious university as the UW with a good reputation. But I soon discovered that things were different here. From the beginning I noticed that most professors at my department were not engaged at all in their students’ lives. It seemed to me that everybody was much more interested in their own research than in the success of their students. All together I never felt welcomed and not once has any of my professors shown any interest in me as a person/student. This might sound harsh now and one might wonder why I stayed at all. Well, everybody is friendly and kind of helpful if you approach them. But at the end of the day it seems rather superficial to me. I know, of course, that this is a much bigger department than the one in AR, but it’s not that big. There should be time to get to know each other. What kind of life is it to just sit in your office by yourself and read all the time?
My best experience at the UW was the teaching, and I would like to thank Manfred Bansleben for giving me the opportunity to teach many different levels. I have enjoyed that very much and I have also learned very much.
All together, the result of my two years at the UW is positive, however. My time here has really shown me what I want to do. Teaching is my calling – and not the quiet research in a lonely office. I am very grateful for the time I spent in Seattle because even though my academic life did not turn out so well, my private life has improved so much. Most importantly, I met Todrick, but I also met many other wonderful people! Plus, it gave me a chance to spend some more time with my good old friends.
I am leaving with many positive memories, but more so, I’m leaving with great expectations for the future.

Thank you!
Sarina