I am a Slash Student.
Written by Darrien Rose, a senior in Community Health at Illinois.
It is not uncommon for me to hear University students or faculty say “I see you everywhere!” or “Is there anything you aren’t involved in?” I typically respond with a sheepish shrug and smile. The truth is, this has been a reality for me for as long as I can remember. Since 4th grade there have been two things I knew to be true about myself: I wanted to attend the University of Illinois to become a health professional, and I loved to be involved. I have remained faithful to both. You may be thinking that there isn’t much a 4th grader can be involved in, but 10-year-old me would beg to differ. I was a world-class slash student before hitting puberty considering my participation in athletics, scholastic bowl, and violin lessons.
To me, being a slash student means that I did not have one specific goal or interest for my academic career. A slash student is someone who learns lessons and gains skills from all walks of life that may or may not be applicable to their select field of study. For example, I have always known that I have wanted to go into the health field as a career. Nevertheless, musical performance has always been a great interest of mine. It began back in middle school when I joined show choir and band — I was not necessarily gaining medical experience, but my confidence and people skills grew stronger. These learned skills will make me a better care provider in the future.
As a slash student, you evolve and/or enhance your “slash” through schooling. While my slash began as a performer and athlete in grammar school, it has now grown into me being a connector at my University. Throughout my four years in college, I have connected many individuals to various units across campus because of my slash. I’ve been a Resident Advisor, Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant, Vice-President, Peer-Advisor, Tour Guide, Intern, and Bible Study Leader, which has enhanced my time at the University of Illinois and, I hope, allowed me to enhance the time my friends and fellow students have as well.
While I am not quite sure where this mentality to be multifaceted originated, it has grown throughout my primary and secondary education — presenting me with countless opportunities. Therefore, I learned to capitalize on my ability to be a slash student to further my success. As a slash student, I learned non-academic skills that will transition into the real world and appeal heavily to graduate schools and future employers. Being a slash student gave me unmatched hands-on experience necessary to get ahead.
Although being a slash student has been beneficial, it does have its downsides. Many times, being a slash student means you have to make sacrifices that are not always healthy. In my personal experience as a slash student there have been times where I have had to sacrifice my physical, emotional, and spiritual health to fulfill my duty within a job or student organization. There have even been times where I have gotten so caught up in focusing on my slash that I forgot to be a student first. Nonetheless, it taught me to balance my life in all aspects and recognize that the world is constantly moving and that I should be moving with it.
Though my time at Illinois is coming to an end, I will always be a slash student. Being open to learning from all directions, experiencing many walks of life, and engaging in lots of different activities are things I plan to take with me. I know these learnings and experiences will positively influence the impact I am capable of having on the world.
More about Slash Students
By now you’ve probably seen “SCD [hearts] Slash Students” poster around campus and on social media. They’re highlighting exactly what Darrien is describing — the rise of the “slash” generation. Students aren’t just students; they are multifaceted individuals with diverse interests and a thirst to experience as much as they can during their university years. Their majors are only part of their identities; most have interests outside the scope of their studies. The Siebel Center for Design is a community for Slash Students. It helps them embrace their diverse interests and collaborate with peers across campus. SCD encourages people to explore their many interests, and we understand that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Rebecca Sweeney, Marketing Associate for the Siebel Center for Design
