A Little About Me
Hello and welcome. My name is Zoë Mertz. Just in case you've stumbled on this portfolio out of the blue, here are a couple of tidbits to know about me. I grew up in Seattle, Washington amidst the shadow of rainclouds and decided to dance in the drizzle a little longer as a student at the University of Washington. I am an Interdisciplinary Honors student as well as an English/Creative Writing major with Departmental Honors in English. As a classic native Seattleite, I am happiest in a coffee shop in the pouring rain. I'm passionate about storytelling in all forms, from reading and writing to theater (I'm happy to give book recs through my contact form!) and intend to continue dabbling in stories in various ways in my life beyond college. In my spare time, I also practice and teach martial arts, devise new embroidery projects for myself, and wander around exploring the Pacific Northwest. I really appreciate your diving in to join me on my journey throughout UW.
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A Guide to My Portfolio
You may have noticed the massive amount of tabs and links I have at the top of my page. I designed this portfolio as a comprehensive overview of my experiences in college, academic and beyond. Over the past three years, I have attempted to upload posts for all the significant assignments, projects, and events that I've engaged with, resulting in an overwhelming web of reflections and posts! In the interest of making my portfolio a bit easier to navigate for everyone outside myself, I have created a few landing pages with highlights from each year. I have also linked specific reflections related to my experiential learning projects below. Or, if you like, feel free to dive into the labyrinth via the tabs above!
Portfolio Navigation
Experiential Learning |
Learning Statement
The transition into college was jarring for me, never having been someone who has easily embraced change. Simple tasks confounded me, like feeding myself three meals a day, or getting where I needed to go around the city. Now, three years later, with graduation and the end of college approaching, I am just finally learning to cope with the changes and uncertainty that accompany my transition into adulthood. I’ve chosen to structure my learning statement around some of the qualities about myself I have discovered and rediscovered, developed and maintained throughout my time in college as I look back on my experiences and prepare for those that are yet to come.
Responsibility
Ever since I was small, I have enjoyed being the person who understood how things worked, who explained the rules of board games and led tours for new students at school. One reason starting college was hard for me was that I had to be the one who didn’t know for once – learning for the first time about credits and registration and degree requirements, about living away from home. Though I struggled at the start with overcoming the anxiety that accompanied not knowing, I now find myself having earned the position of responsibility that I so value. From facilitating question-and-answer sessions for prospective students just as worried about starting college as I was, to guiding new students through their first quarters at UW as an Honors Peer Educator, I am proud to have earned my place and my responsibilities.
Dedication
My struggles with accepting change have also made me someone who is equally dedicated to the things I adore. Staying in Seattle for college has meant that I’ve gotten to continue working at my job from high school teaching martial arts classes, a long-term commitment that has brought me joy. Honors has become a constant for me to rely on at UW, and as a result I have gladly dedicated my time and effort to helping support this community that has supported me. I am similarly dedicated to my schoolwork, determined to make each project and assignment the best that I can, which has helped me to find success in many of my classes. I hope that this dedication to the communities and work that I value can follow me beyond the classroom and allow me to be a positive force in wherever I wind up next.
Perfectionism
I have identified with the term ‘perfectionist’ for as long as I can remember. From hyper-fixation on details of poster board projects and essays to extreme expectations for myself and my future path, my life and work have always operated on a tenuous balance between high levels of effort and stress. While I value this part of myself for the accomplishments I have been able to achieve – stories I’ve written, scholarships I’ve earned, praise granted by peers and teachers that is often more valuable than any award – I have also discovered throughout my time in college that there are things that I care about just as much as achievement: friends and relationships, good food and stories and company. In moving into the world beyond UW, I still want to push myself to attain the best that I can whether I end up in graduate school or on track to start a career, but I also want to be sure not to sacrifice the other wonderful aspects of life that bring me joy along the way.
Passion
I want to pursue the things in this world that make me feel as though my soul is on fire, whether they be a job that makes me excited to wake up in the morning, a personal project or story that keeps me up at night, or a person that makes life feel like an adventure. In graduating and moving into life beyond college, I hope to be able to hold onto this passion, to never become numb to the world around me. I have no way of knowing exactly what’s next for me, but I hope to hold onto the zeal that keeps me excited to move forward day after day.
Responsibility
Ever since I was small, I have enjoyed being the person who understood how things worked, who explained the rules of board games and led tours for new students at school. One reason starting college was hard for me was that I had to be the one who didn’t know for once – learning for the first time about credits and registration and degree requirements, about living away from home. Though I struggled at the start with overcoming the anxiety that accompanied not knowing, I now find myself having earned the position of responsibility that I so value. From facilitating question-and-answer sessions for prospective students just as worried about starting college as I was, to guiding new students through their first quarters at UW as an Honors Peer Educator, I am proud to have earned my place and my responsibilities.
Dedication
My struggles with accepting change have also made me someone who is equally dedicated to the things I adore. Staying in Seattle for college has meant that I’ve gotten to continue working at my job from high school teaching martial arts classes, a long-term commitment that has brought me joy. Honors has become a constant for me to rely on at UW, and as a result I have gladly dedicated my time and effort to helping support this community that has supported me. I am similarly dedicated to my schoolwork, determined to make each project and assignment the best that I can, which has helped me to find success in many of my classes. I hope that this dedication to the communities and work that I value can follow me beyond the classroom and allow me to be a positive force in wherever I wind up next.
Perfectionism
I have identified with the term ‘perfectionist’ for as long as I can remember. From hyper-fixation on details of poster board projects and essays to extreme expectations for myself and my future path, my life and work have always operated on a tenuous balance between high levels of effort and stress. While I value this part of myself for the accomplishments I have been able to achieve – stories I’ve written, scholarships I’ve earned, praise granted by peers and teachers that is often more valuable than any award – I have also discovered throughout my time in college that there are things that I care about just as much as achievement: friends and relationships, good food and stories and company. In moving into the world beyond UW, I still want to push myself to attain the best that I can whether I end up in graduate school or on track to start a career, but I also want to be sure not to sacrifice the other wonderful aspects of life that bring me joy along the way.
Passion
I want to pursue the things in this world that make me feel as though my soul is on fire, whether they be a job that makes me excited to wake up in the morning, a personal project or story that keeps me up at night, or a person that makes life feel like an adventure. In graduating and moving into life beyond college, I hope to be able to hold onto this passion, to never become numb to the world around me. I have no way of knowing exactly what’s next for me, but I hope to hold onto the zeal that keeps me excited to move forward day after day.