By Maggie Lindsay, Class of 2026
This article is a part of a series of student stories of growth curated for the 2025 One Event. If you enjoy this story, please donate and tell us which student’s story inspired you to give.
At the start of my One Stone journey, vulnerability was my biggest fear. I struggled with putting myself out there. Even though this was a big fear of mine, I still had a strong desire to grow and take risks. I wanted to practice overcoming my fears, so I pushed myself to explore new experiences. During my first year, it was hard for me to define my passions, so I decided to explore a wide range of new interests like photography and backpacking. These past few years at One Stone have given me many opportunities to dive into new experiences and fill my schedule with not only my passions, but things that I want to try and learn about.
In the spring of 2023, I went on my first spring trip, which is an annual One Stone trip that allows students to connect and grow in nature. I chose to go on a 14-mile backpacking trip, even though I had never been backpacking. It was both physically and mentally challenging, and took grit and persistence to hike in the hot sun all day. But those hard and negative aspects didn’t seem to affect me as much with the amount of joy and connection I experienced. I spent the entire day talking with my peers and coaches, making new connections, and so many fun memories. I realized that the trip was exactly what I needed to feel more refreshed and more connected with the people around me. I learned more about myself and others and was able to recharge and experience mindfulness, while setting the stage for a mindset of growth.
In my second year, I challenged myself to step further out of my comfort zone. I did a Model Arab League conference for the first time, despite my fear of public speaking. Representing a country in a professional, fast-paced environment with older, more experienced students was intimidating, but within the very first session, so many people approached me, welcomed me, and helped me to feel more comfortable. I had to develop skills in debate, critical thinking, and communication to collaborate on world issues and current events. Although it was unfamiliar and scary, by putting myself into this setting it has helped me build confidence and learn valuable skills, while gaining new perspectives. I left the conference feeling empowered because I embraced the challenge and have grown through the experience.
This year, I decided to focus on exploring a long-time interest of mine—science. When a six week fast-paced chemistry experience was offered and coached by a chemist, Molliann, I was so excited, even though I had no background in the subject. We did a new experiment each day, and initially I was overwhelmed by the new concepts that were challenging for me to understand. I put a lot of effort into taking detailed notes and observations, and committed myself to doing research to understand the experiments. Overtime I began to adapt to the learning pace and manage my time efficiently to make sure I felt more confident in my understanding of the basics of chemistry. I loved the amount of engaging hands-on experiments we did, my favorite being an E. coli transformation where we introduced a fluorescent gene into the DNA of E. coli. This experience not only sparked a passion for chemistry but also strengthened my scientific inquiry and curiosity skills. It showed me that by putting in the effort and taking ownership of my learning, I can develop valuable skills and grow in new ways.
Through consistently embracing challenging opportunities like backpacking, Model Arab League, and chemistry, I not only discovered new passions but also built the confidence to tackle challenges and explore possibilities that once scared me. Managing and taking charge of my growth through each of these experiences has pushed me to face my fears, try new things, and develop a deeper understanding of myself and the world around me. I learned to view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than failures. By diving into my curiosities and practicing grit and vulnerability, I have learned to value growth and strive to keep learning.
