Under the relationship building theme, adaptability refers to the ability to live in the present, freely and willingly able to respond to the demands and changes of the moment.  Adaptable people do not have to learn to change, they are able to just do it.  When they see a bump in the road they see it as an opportunity to try a different path with ease.

Throughout my four years of college I have become more adaptable because my lack of time management skills sometimes caused me to not excel in the way I wanted.  Now, whenever a due date changes or someone cancels a meeting, I can easily adjust my schedule to get the most out of my productivity.

Under the relationship building theme again, this strength entails the ability to sense the emotions of other people around them. They have   a unique ability to feel so much into the feelings of those around them that they can sometimes take on the others feelings. Empathetic people are welcoming and can provide a safe place for others to express their feelings.

I have always been more empathetic from my peers but since attending Agnes Scott and being exposed to more culturally diverse people my level of empathy for others has grown.  Whenever I am met with a challenge I tend to think about it from multiple points of view.  Whether its comforting a friend or working on my senior seminar research paper, I almost always use a culturally sensitive lens when finding solutions to problems.

Under the influencing theme, this strength involves looking for the excellence and best around them. People with this strength are compelled to discover or maybe uncover excellence, and then refine it and apply it. They have the ability to take what is best and make it even better. Excellence is the standard to improve upon.

Agnes Scott is a unique place where most professors believe that as long as students make improvements, no one grade is stagnant.  In the majority of my classes my professors have strongly encouraged the idea of making up an assignment if I don’t do as well on it as I should have.  The second chances I have been given to improve my work have been extremely beneficial in developing my maximizer strength.  Now I rarely need second chanced because the first time is good enough since I have been pushed to achieve beyond excellence, thanks to my professors.

Under the influencing theme, a person is inspired to take charge and are not afraid to make an impact on people where others may fear doing so. This strength inspires people to express themselves and their feelings, to inspire others to act strongly for their sake and safety. My style of command is more direct rather than guiding.

I have again always had a “take charge” personality but this strength has been refined through my election as team captain of the college softball team for the past three years.  I have applied this commanding role on the field with leading and helping my underclass team mates improve their skills as in as well as in the classroom where I am very active in the class discussions.

Under the strategic thinking theme, a learner enjoys the process learning almost anything. They are not typically interested in knowing the topic to the point of being an expert. This unique attribute allows learners the ability to understand the learning process. A person with this strength can also observe and comprehend the learning patterns of others and connect them in the best way to be able to deliver and teach information in unique ways.

I have always been interested in knowing how to do many things from such as embroidery, photography, cooking, and playing the guitar.  I haven’t been taught any of those skills but decided I wanted to know a little bit about each one.  This strength has been further reinforced with the broad range of topics my two majors provide.  I have taken classes dealing with how the eyes and ears perceive the world (Psychology of Sensation and Perception) and how to understand religion from an anthropological view point (Anthropology of Religion).  These classes and others have made me into a more well-rounded student who knows a good chunk of a wide range of topics.