Melody 2023-2025
Drums and leadership on posters around campus
Husky Jam was an extremely fulfilling non-class or professionally related opportunity. Joining this club helped me feel more connected to the UW student body, and learn more from people with very different backgrounds and interests than me.
This is a drawing I made as a sticker design for the first Husky Jam show thrown after I joined the club. It represented a significant step outside of my comfort zone, as I had joined the club with only two acquaintances and a slight interest in music, without any significant knowledge about it. I was originally interested in using my drawing skills to help out with the media team in the club, and really pushed myself to connect with others in the club and show off my creations even when I was scared to do so. The passion for music that everyone had and the excitement in the club to put on shows and organize things together was what helped me connect more with the people in this club, and I learned quite a bit on how to be confident in your interests and go after what you want with more effort.
After two quarters of the club being in a break because of everyone's stress, I had a lot of fun in my junior year helping to revive the club and introduce several new officers. I had also been reorganized as an operations team officer due to a lack of officers, and learned a lot about what it takes to help a show be successful. Bonding with other officers while printing out and putting up posters around campus was a lot of fun, and tabling for shows helped me learn more about the importance of club connections with the student body and how to market. These shows were also great ways for me to learn about different resources on campus, like the MILL, where we handmade all the merchandise for the shows. I also had a good time connecting with people that were not taking the same classes I was, learning how to talk about my research to a new audience, and learning about all the different types of majors and classes people were taking. This club was also a significant part of my time management lessons, as my junior year got very busy very fast with core classes, maintaining my relationship with my study abroad friends, continuing training in my lab, and helping run this club. I had to cut certain activities based on what I wanted to prioritize more, and learned how to say no while still being able to put time and effort into the club.
Over this past year, the club has evolved significantly, having accepted several new officers, expanding each team's roles and specialties, and finding new ways to throw shows (DJ-based show, Jazz show with food involved, etc.). I've also met and learned from several new freshman who have had inspiring confidence in themselves. I've learned how to be more open and genuine because of the people I have interacted with, but also seen how people really do develop and grow at different paces. Similarly to the friends I have made in my cohort, I have learned to have fun without worrying what others may think of me or how they may judge me. I have also been able to pick up a bit about leadership and what effective teamwork can look like. There is a necessary balance with harsher or stricter wording for efficiency, and allowing slower collaboration to happen. I've learned that the most important thing for leadership is having the confidence and ability to delegate responsibility, while still being relatable and enjoyable to be around. My respect has grown for the individuals that are able to lead so well, and I'm excited to see how the club continues evolving. This club was definitely one of the crucial parts of my "college experience", and I'm so glad that I pushed myself to join in my freshman year. I have found it incredibly rewarding to see how each show develops, how the hard work everyone in the club puts in pays off, and how I have grown from when I first joined.