Puja shares her powerful realization that the purpose of honors is, as she explains, "so that I could grow in a unique way, and not just meet societal obligations to be considered smart," and shares some of her most formative experiences.

Dear Prospective Student,

Breathe in and breathe out. Take some time to relax and enjoy all the accomplishments you have achieved. You made it through high school and are onto the next amazing adventure of your life! Congratulations and I am super proud of you for finishing out strong. I know starting undergrad can be stressful, but I promise you it will go by fast and every year, starting with the first, will be amazing! Regardless, I am super excited that you are hoping to pick the University of Iowa as your undergrad school and are looking toward joining the honors program!

Before we get started on what the honors program is like, let me formally introduce myself! My name is Puja Mekala and I am a sophomore majoring in psychology with a minor in gender, health, and healthcare equity with a certificate in public health on the pre-dental track. My hometown is Waukee, and I went to Waukee High School (sadly I didn't get to experience the new one). Throughout high school, I volunteered a lot and achieved the silver cord status at graduation. I volunteered a ton at my local hospital, at the Science Center of Iowa, and at the uVoice philanthropic group. At school, I was in the robotics club, mock trial team, quiz bowl team, and STEM club. I was involved in volleyball and tennis throughout my four years and took many Dual Credit and AP courses.

I had never been satisfied with my grades in school and was immediately interested in the honors program because of the increased prestige it would carry (yes, I am one of those kids). Yet, as I explored, I began to understand that the honors program is there to help you connect with students like you who want to excel in college, gain real-world experience, and provide opportunities that advance your college knowledge and more. I learned that being an honors student doesn’t require fancy smart genes, and instead I realized that I was in the program so that I could grow in a unique way, and not just meet societal obligations to be considered smart.

Some of the amazing experiences I have had in the UI Honors Program are Honors Primetime, experiential learning, and honors coursework. Primetime is a time when you meet for three days with a group in a class and engage with activities related to your subject. This is typically the week before classes start when most people are moving in. However, I promise it is not stressful at all because I was able to move in the weekend before Primetime and it allowed me to have ample time to adjust. Another highlight has been honors experiential learning, where I completed a public health internship. There are a variety of experiential learning credit options. Many people study abroad, do mentored research, or complete honors in their specific major of choice. Don’t worry though because there is a lot of support and help along the way-- from honors peer mentors, the honors staff, honors ambassadors, and your peers!

I was once in your shoes, and you will soon be in mine. As an honors student, I am still able to handle my courses, have social time with friends, be in various extracurriculars on campus, attend large group events on campus, and have a job. While it may seem like a lot at first, it becomes easier as you go. Just remember everyone around you is going through the same thing so don’t be afraid to say a simple hello. I know you will do great, and I am rooting for you from the sidelines. Please reach out to me if you have any questions at

puja-mekala@uiowa.edu. I wish you well and I can’t wait to see you achieve all your great accomplishments during your college life. Hopefully, we’ll see you bleed the black and gold in the future :)

Best,

Puja Mekala