Moye Balogun

Professor Joanne Rohan

Honors Seminar
19 November 2015
Reflection
My first semester of college in UNCCs University Honors Program has been an
interesting experience. In these few months, I believe I have learned a great deal about myself
and my newfound surroundings. Through my Honors Colloquium class specifically, I have been
given the opportunity to interact with various types of people and be presented with the unique
mindset of each. I am to able analyze my own thought-process and solidify or alter the values I
already possess. Whether this is through assignments, presentations, or discussions, this class has
provided me with numerous chances to explore my mind, identity, and character.
This class, and UHP, seem to center on the task of self-development. All of the
assignments we have done have seemed to contain a piece of ourselves, a piece of our character.
Through this active personal involvement, I have begun to realize patterns in how I complete my
assignments. I have been able to recognize my issue with time management and procrastination.
In high school, if one ever fell behind in their work, I dont believe it would be a life changing
task to get back on track. However, by me now being in college, especially in UHP, I have found
falling behind is the worst thing one can do. Early on in the semester I did just that by not
submitting an assignment on time and barely completing another. This, unsurprisingly, took a toll

on my grade and I found myself breaking under the weight of potential failure. As challenging
and unfortunate of an experience it was, I dont perceive it to be completely negative. Rather, I
view it as the wakeup call I so desperately needed. Following the regrettable incident, I vowed to
myself that I would not let another assignment slip between my grasp. I would finish any work
asked of me to the best of my abilities. I feel this has been presented in all of my subsequent
assignments, especially in my Altered Book and my Six Word Memoir.
Even though it took me several days to complete, the Altered Book project was one of my
favorite Colloquium assignments. The assignment forced me to look within myself and take time
to determine what I truly believe about the various subject matters presented. I believe the
evidence of this deep thought is present in my some of my favorite pages - Earth and
Environment, Politics, Communal Identity, and Media - and the subsequent reflections that
followed. My dedication is present in my art work and my explanations. For instance, in my
explanation for my Politics page I said On the left side of the double spread, the page is very
busy and congested with colorful caricatures of political figures [the right side] is very
minimal with a blank white page and a small, black silhouette of myself in the middle. This
represents my independent stance away from politics. Through art I was able to depict a piece
of my political viewpoint of seeing myself as an independent, rather than being tied down to one
central policy of an individual party. I think this is extremely important because it all ties back to
the human need for self-expression. I believe expressing myself allows for all my pent up
emotions, thoughts, feelings, etc. to be released, giving me a sense of peace. I feel when these
emotions are kept inside, it is disruptive to my thought process and my goal of progressing in the
things I do. Even if I dont always allot time to vocalize whats on my mind, it is within this type
of assignment that I am thankfully forced to.

My Six Word Memoir also required me to tap into what I believe defines me. I had to
piece together speech and art and display them as a presentation of who I am. Although I
struggled to pinpoint my identity, one piece kept reoccurring in my mind: my natural talent for
writing. Through my memoir I was able to depict my love for writing and the way it makes me
feel. I was able to artistically and verbally represent this significant yet somewhat neglected part
of my life. I was able to articulate the specific reasons why I believe I neglect my talents and the
ways I want to change that.
These projects are just a few of the many assignments in Honors Colloquium that have
given me a chance for expression. A chance that is often neglected within my major, Computer
Science. I deem myself to be an artistic person, but Computer Science is a discipline that focuses
on technology, thinking in abstract and concrete terms, and practicality. Some would see it as a
more left-brained subject. I do believe there is a time and a place for these things, however, all
my life I have been drawn to those typical right-brained activities: music, writing, art, and
many others. In my Introduction to Media Programming (ITIS 1212) class, I often have to call
upon my knowledge of definitions, syntax, and the general programming language that I have
acquired, and apply it when Im solving problems within a program. The thought process found
here is greatly different from the way my mind works while trying to compose a song or
artistically represent an ideal. The disparity between these two parts creates a conflicting
dynamic within me, blossoming into another challenge I must overcome. I feel my task after
Colloquium, is to find another space for further creative expression while remaining dedicated to
my major. Finding a balance between these two possible loves will allow me maximize my
potential.

This balance also plays into my development as a scholar citizen. Finding such stability
within my academics, could possibly aid me in learning how to handle the task of community
service and the goal of academic excellence. So far in the semester, I have volunteered at the
Crisis Assistance Ministry and will be volunteering for Loaves and Fishes in the upcoming
month. The community projects have allowed me to realize the type of service I am drawn to. I
would not consider myself the outdoorsy type, but these events give me the opportunity to do my
part without getting covered in mud. These events, that only take a small piece of my time, have
such a large impact in the lives of the homeless and impoverished in the city of Charlotte. While
at Crisis, the representative informed us that our effort actually completes about thirty percent of
their work and allows them to redirect funds to maintain peoples utilities and continue providing
them with a place to stay. This significant fact amazed me; and as I walked through the store to
leave, I was actually able to see some of the individuals I, and so many others, were helping.
This experience honestly gave me a newfound appreciation for volunteer work and makes me
want to continue to serve. I believe volunteering has so many benefits to me and others. Similar
to saving money at Crisis, volunteering saves resources and allows them to be used for the
betterment of the community. Service fosters a sense of community, empathy, and strength in all
its participants through working towards a common goal. Volunteering increases my sense of
optimism and grants me with the ability to recognize that even from a dark, desolate situation,
one can find light.
I believe my Colloquium class has truly pushed me to approach my work with an
increased amount of thoughtfulness. This class has tested my critical thinking skills and helped
me to realize the parts of myself in need of improvement and the ways I need to alter them.
Despite the fact that I initially approached this class the misinformed expectation of an easy A, I

am thankful for the renewed mindset I am leaving it with. I hope this class, and the many others I
take within UHP, will just be the beginning of an academic journey imbued with growth, service,
and fun.