CLT: Thank you for sharing with us, Lydia! Tell us about your studies and your first year! What have you gotten involved with on campus so far?

LG: I study within the Baylor Honors College. I am working towards a degree in political science, but I also have a secondary major in instrumental performance, which allows me to continue my 16-year journey of classical music on the cello. Political science and music both focus on diverse parts of the human experience: from how humans engage with each other to how we approach the good and the holy. In that way, I am able to bridge my different interests into a cohesive education that betters me as a person.

Apart from classes, I spend my time either in the practice room with my cello preparing for lessons and orchestra performances, attending lectures and discussion groups on democracy, federalism, and much more, or participating and organizing events in the Honors Residential College community.

CLT: How did taking the CLT/CLT10 help you prepare for college? 

LG: I took the CLT10 on a total whim—but in my senior year of high school, upon mulling over what I wanted to study in college, my experiences with the CLT10 and CLT actually helped propel my budding interest in the humanities into its realization at Baylor. In a sense, the CLT tests flung the windows of that field open for me by showing me a natural inclination towards the type of skills that would later matter so much in my time at college: critical reasoning, logical skills, thematic comprehension, and so on. It helped me understand what college, and my future, were really about: not necessarily testing my ability to understand the structure of a test but testing my ability to think critically about the questions that humans have grappled with forever. Through their unique angle on the reading, grammar, and math sections, the CLT tests prodded my curiosity about goodness and morality, our assumptions of life’s goals, the processes behind formulas, and beyond.

CLT: As part of your National Award, how did your CLT10 Scholarship benefit you as a first-year student?

LG: During the rocky time of uncertainty and stress about this new chapter, the CLT10 Scholarship encouraged me to focus on the ultimate goal of my college journey: fruitful study and stewardship of my education. The scholarship funding also allowed me to live on campus in the Honors Residential College, where my friendships and education blossomed as I was immersed in a group of students also eagerly striving to discover the truth and beauty of our world. I am so grateful that the CLT10 Scholarship contributed to one of the most transformative parts of my college experience.

CLT: What was the most impactful class you took this year at Baylor, and why?

LG: As part of the Baylor Honors College’s focus on developing well-rounded students, all Honors students take a first-year seminar focusing on an important question of life. I elected to take a class on “Friendship and the Moral Life,” taught by Professor Dr. Darin Davis. Though I walked in slightly skeptical, I emerged from the Friendship class with a newfound appreciation for the importance of deep and meaningful relationships for all aspects of our lives. Our small seminar class grew close as fellow students, providing a microcosm of the point of the class: when earnest people join together in the irreplicable bond of true friendship, life transforms from the routine monotony of the day into the extraordinary joy that only friendship can bring.

CLT: Looking back on your first year, what advice would you give to other CLT10 or CLT test-takers planning ahead for college?

LG: Choosing a college can seem like an impossible decision, but I would encourage you to pick one where you can see that students leave as better people than how they entered. When a college can transform someone personally, it transforms them academically and professionally, too. So prioritize the incredible opportunity for personal growth that college uniquely provides. Also remember that the best relationships and friendships do not come from changing yourself for others: there are people out there who value what you value and want to support your endeavors, even if those goals seem far away or fuzzy. Good friends who will encourage you to be the best student and person you can be are a priceless gift in college. Professors can be incredible mentors and even friends, too! Everyone wants to see you succeed, so do not be afraid to reach out in sincerity.