I am approaching my senior year at the University of. Colorado (CU) at Boulder, studying biology. I have a huge passion
Transferring Your TSA Skills to College How to apply to, prepare for, and succeed in college post-TSA
by EB Bollendonk 2013-2014 National TSA Secretary
Hi, TSA! While some of you may remember me, many of you will not. My name is EB Bollendonk and I was your 2013-2014 National Secretary. I joined TSA in the sixth grade and stuck with it through my high-school graduation, and then beyond as an alumni member. I am approaching my senior year at the University of Colorado (CU) at Boulder, studying biology. I have a huge passion for photography and running, and I’m lucky to live in such a beautiful state for both. I didn’t always know that I wanted to be a CU student. For a long time, CU was barely a school on my mind and the college process was too intimidating to think about. I have a strong feeling I wasn’t alone in being overwhelmed; if that feeling is creeping up on you, know that you are in good company. Today I’m writing to tell you about how to make the most of your TSA experience when preparing for college. If you aren’t a senior, don’t leave yet! There are some helpful tips on leadership and how to use the skills you learn in TSA in here as well.
On campus at CU Boulder, 2017
Applying for College As you move forward and start thinking about the college application process, I hope you draw from your TSA experiences to help make you a notable applicant. Four years ago, when it was my turn to write a personal statement, I learned one timeless trick: make your statement a story so that your reader becomes a part of your life, even for just a moment. This involves selecting a meaningful story — one that caused you to change, learn, or speaks volumes to your character — and then taking your reader into it. Allow them to see the sun that was shining and to feel the emotions that you felt. Then, wrap it up with a statement about how you were impacted, and how that will in turn impact the person you will be during college. When discussing TSA’s role, focus on the values it helped you develop, like integrity during competition, determination when working on an event, or leadership among your delegation.
Selecting the right story is difficult, especially when there are so many great things about you! TSA was an integral part of my high-school life, like it is in many of yours. It was imperative that my personal statement reflected that, so I wrote about my national officer candidacy. I subjected the reader to the bright lights I faced and allowed them to feel the queasiness in my stomach and the shake in my knees as I delivered my campaign speech. I shared the pride I felt as speaking in front of such a large crowd marked overcoming stage fright. It was the pinnacle moment marking my transformation from a shy, awkward girl into a confident young adult, aided by the values TSA instilled in me. To discover what you want to write, question yourself. Are you proud of a specific TSA accomplishment? Is there a lesson you learned while attending a conference that stands out to you? Did meeting other members at the national conference change your world view? Asking yourself questions along these lines will help you to find inspiration Campaigning for National TSA for a TSA-oriented personal statement. Secretary, 2013
Preparing for College It’s no secret that my favorite event was Dragster Design. I approached every national conference with confidence in my car, but most years I walked away without a trophy. I found myself leaving each conference proud of my car, regardless of the outcome. This taught me the important lesson that others’ success doesn’t take away from my own. After hours and hours sawing, shaping, and sanding the perfect wooden car body, I developed determination and commitment that finally led to being awarded a trophy at the 2013 conference. It was returning to nationals the year after that, confident in my car, but not placing, where I remembered the importance of humility. Coming to college was a shock in many ways. Loneliness hit me the minute my dorm room door shut after my parents left for the first time. Walking downstairs to the busy lobby of my building, however, felt just like walking into the lobby of a hotel during a TSA conference. Through striking up conversations about competitive events or what state delegation others were representing at conferences, I unknowingly gained confidence in approaching others, and talking to my new neighbors was easy. Competition sprung up the moment the first exams were handed back and everyone began to compare scores. Some exams I was proud of; others I hid quickly in my bag. I remembered the lessons I learned from competing in Dragster Design — I knew that a friend’s higher exam grade didn’t lessen the value of my grade, and that one great exam, like one great car, didn’t ensure my success on the next. I was surprised to find that the values I gained from TSA conferences were highly applicable in all walks of life, and I know they will be influential for years to come.
Applying Leadership Skills from TSA Leadership is a huge aspect of TSA even if you don’t think of yourself as a leader. TSA taught me that being a leader doesn’t always mean being at the top of the food chain, but rather showing integrity and inspiring others to be a better version of themselves — something you already do time and time again at the state and national conferences. It’s when you talk to, learn from, and teach other members during competitions. It’s when you cheer on the person who built that really cool dragster as they get a trophy, even though their car totally smoked yours. It’s when you see other chapters preparing their on-demand videos and step out of the way of their filming. It’s when you make conversation with the stranger standing behind you in the mile-long line for the only affordable lunch option in the conference hotel. These moments probably aren’t your favorite parts of the conference, but unlike CU Boulder Resident Advisor (RA) Training Staff, 2017. I use competing in specific events, you can continue having these the leadership skills I learned moments, and thus doing the right thing, long after TSA in TSA every day as an RA. membership ends. This behavior will help define you as a leader and make you a valuable applicant for things like college in the future. You are incredibly lucky to be a part of an organization that encourages that and I truly hope that you take advantage of every opportunity TSA has to offer you before graduation. Good luck with your college endeavors and maybe I’ll be seeing some of you around Boulder! Boulder Flatirons (and one of my favorite CU views), 2017. I hope to see some friendly TSA faces at CU!
