These four networking meetings have been wonderful experiences for me. As an introvert, I was nervous to conduct interviews with professionals. I thought that by reaching out on LinkedIn or cold-emailing, I would be bothering them during their already-busy schedules. However, I knew it would be a growth opportunity that could only benefit me in the long-run. I decided to break the assignment into smaller pieces and take it step by step. This was counterintuitive to me, as a Wellesley student who prefers to have an action plan. But this more relaxed approach was extremely helpful in allowing for flexibility during the early stages of finding professionals to meet with. I learned not to take it personally when people didn’t respond to my initial message, and I learned how to navigate scheduling difficulties with grace. 

Over the course of the networking project, I could feel myself becoming more confident in my interactions. Virtual meetings can sometimes feel awkward at first, and “Zoom fatigue” is certainly a real challenge. But I found that each Zoom meeting was easier than the last, and I grew professionally in ways that will prepare me for future networking scenarios. It’s experiences like these that make me appreciate the opportunities available to me at Wellesley. I am thankful to the Ted Wang Fellowship and the EALC department for this experience, and for collaborating with me on ways to adapt the networking project to fit this new normal. Thank you all for tuning in! 再见！

– Michelle Geller (吉美翠)