Honors Link

Second-year honors English student Sukhjot Sal has only experienced Oregon State University in-person for two terms due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but despite the obstacles of remote learning, she has made the most of her time at college so far.

“For that time, it was just amazing — it was everything I thought that college would be. It was really open and welcoming and there were so many opportunities,” Sukhjot says of her short in-person experience at OSU. 

Sukhjot, who is originally from Beaverton, Oregon, came to OSU in large part for the Honors College experience. She was initially attracted to the small classroom environment; when coupled with the beautiful campus and incredible scenery, OSU and the Honors College felt like the perfect fit.

Sukhjot hopes to be a professional writer after graduation, and she’s already begun to pursue this goal by working as a media assistant for the Honors College. In the role, she compiles the weekly Monday Message, family newsletters and more. She’s also a news contributor for The Daily Barometer, Oregon State’s campus newspaper. 

Though she has not yet had the chance to take colloquia, Sukhjot has been able to enjoy honors versions of classes: her favorites have been honors Interdisciplinary Yoga and honors Survey of African American Studies II. Because both of these classes were relatively small, Sukhjot found it easier to learn and build connections with peers.

As an introvert with a busy schedule, Sukhjot has found comfort in the Honors College during her time at OSU. She came from a small high school, so having a home base like the Honors College within the bigger OSU community has been reassuring in times of stress. 

“Being able to see the same faces is really valuable to me,” Sukhjot says. 

And though COVID-19 has created barriers for her, Sukhjot continues to push through, learning and working remotely and continuing to hone her writing skills. 

After graduation, Sukhjot would like to go to graduate school and pursue copywriting and copyediting. 

Her advice for incoming HC students is to get involved, even when it’s hard. 

“As an introvert […] sometimes it’s hard to get involved or force yourself to take part in things,” Sukhjot says, “and I think one of the things I did was really push myself to get involved.”

She continues, “There’s so many events that are out there for students, I would just say take advantage of all the Honors College events that there are.”

By Cara Nixon: Student Writer, Honors College

CATEGORIES: All Stories HC Student Spotlights