Over the course of my SSP, I learned that I actually enjoy being busy during the week, but not in the typical school or 9-to-5 way. I realized I prefer having 3 to 4 really full days where I’m constantly doing things, rather than having a bunch of small commitments spread out every single day. It feel like it helps me stay focused and feel more productive on a day-to-day basis.

SSP overall felt pretty different from the rest of my time at BB&N. Most of my school schedule was packed with classes and assignments every day, but during SSP, I had things spread out and each day I basically assigned each day to be for a specific group of things to do, which made it so I only had to focus on one big task every few days and that format really worked for me. I liked being able to spend a lot of time on one project or task instead of jumping between smaller ones all day. It made it easier for me to get into what I was doing and actually enjoy it.

If I could do it all over again, I’d try to structure my schedule differently. I would probably alternate between super busy days and days where I have almost nothing to do. I think that kind of rhythm would have made the weeks feel even more balanced and manageable.

For my independent book, I read Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi. I chose it because it fit perfectly with my SSP, especially the cooking aspect. Onwuachi’s journey of finding his passion through food and overcoming different challenges really connected with what I was exploring in my own project. It also touched on identity and ambition stuff that I think a lot of BB&N students can relate to.

One of the biggest things I took away from my SSP experience was learning how to be more flexible. I usually like having a clear plan before jumping into something, especially when it matters, but a lot of what I did in SSP required me to just go with the flow and figure things out as they came up. That mindset helped me a lot, and I think it’s something I’ll carry with me going forward.

If I were to give advice to future seniors, I’d say be as creative as possible when designing your project,  especially when it comes to the new experience pillar. I would recommend trying to think outside the box and definitely having at least one independent study.  The more original your project is, the more fun and rewarding it’ll be.