Soft Skills
Time Management
I had to balance an internship, a full course load, and club golf this past semester. After this semester with these experiences, I am confident in my time management.
Flexibility
I have learned that not very many things are truly permanent, and circumstances always change. I always try to plan for the what ifs in a reasonable way.
Team Player
I was always on sports teams throughout childhood. Club golf has a team element to it. Not to mention, when you travel with seven other people, you are forced to be a team player. My internship forced me to work with people I would have never worked with typically, and I was able to thrive within my role.
Communication
My experience as a caddie forced me to communicate with different types of people. I had players who would not be quiet, and I had others who would barely say a word. I had to learn how to effectively communicate with both extremes. This experience has helped me become comfortable being personable with a lot of different people.
Detail Oriented
As a VITA Volunteer, I had to pay close attention to detail. Clients would often come in with a pile of papers. It was imperative to sort through these documents. I was required to pay close attention to details like social security numbers and tax IDs. Messing up by one number would be detrimental to the client’s tax return. I am always a thorough person who is not afraid to go the extra mile.
Persistent
Life has challenges. Recently, I had a rough battle with mono. I had my hardest semester class wise on top of this. I buckled down and got through the semester with decent grades. This is an experience I don’t wish upon anyone. However, it made me a tougher person both physically and mentally. Tough times always have a victory day!