Hitting the rewind button, let us turn back to November 2019. In my first semester at umich, I received the offer of my second Olympic volunteer journey in Lausanne, Switzerland. Instead of being excited, I was facing a real financial problem. The volunteer opportunity is appealing, but I needed to pay for flights and accommodations on my own for more than two weeks.
To Go or Not To Go
My last Olympic journey in South Korea was a shining memory; however, it was fading away. The opportunity to explore a new city and meet interesting people in the sports industry definitely became extremely attractive to me at that time. While I must calm down to calculate how much I am going to spend on it. As you may already know, Switzerland rates as the most expensive country in the world to visit; not to mention that I need to stay for more than two weeks.
“To go or not to go”, I was stuck in a quagmire at that moment.
Start to Reach Out
Adopting a positive attitude, I decided to ask my professors of each class to give me some suggestions, just as a trial. After having the lessons, I told them my story and the dilemma. Out of my expectation, they really provided me with many useful resources and ways to reach out for support. Over two weeks, I sent several emails to various departments in my school and tried to find some financial support.
Furthermore, the most significant thing was the power they transmitted to me to pursue the dream and explore the world with courage.
Turning Point: Scholarship from School
The turning point was when I received the email form the Global Engagement Coordinator form School of Kinesiology, telling me that I can apply for the GoGlobal Travel Award. Besides, she provided me with many resources of financial support for education abroad experiences that I may turn to.
I applied for the award just before the deadline and received the success email one month later. I got the Block M flag for photography from my school before leaving. When I took the photo with the flag at the Main Media Center, I felt the power from the University of Michigan and was proud to be one of the students here.
Always Be Proactive
To be honest, the scholarship was not a large amount. However, it just told me a success story of being proactive to reach out for help. Numerous resources are waiting for you to explore and utilize. The only thing you need to do is stretch out your arms to grasp each opportunity in your life. Never too early to reach out!
The first time I went to watch the football game at Big House, I totally had no idea why everyone was shouting ‘Go Blue’. But now, I have a deep understanding of the power of sports and the power of umich. Just Go Blue!
Written by Yajie (Tina) Wang
Summer Orientation Peer Advisor
Graduate Student
China
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