Finding Your Spark Through Ikigai (Frost 220)

Have you ever felt unsure about what path to pursue in college, like what major to choose, courses to take, or even extracurriculars to engage with? Well, me too. Have you ever been asked by relatives what you’re going to do when you grow up but had no concrete answer to give? Well, me too. And what about this: have you ever doubted yourself about the greater path that you’re going to take in your life? Well, me too. See, as first-generation students, we often navigate systems and institutions that weren't originally designed to guide us on our journey, but the fact that you’re asking yourself "what I should do?" is already fantastic - because the first step towards any realization is questioning. In this session I want to help you start giving some directions to these questions and begin to reflect of what you can do from here onwards. It’s titled "Finding Your Spark Through Ikigai," in reference to the Ikigai Method that we are going to be using. Ikigai is a Japanese concept that can be translated into “one’s reason for being” and is a tool that can help us realize our unique potential and guide our decisions in academic, professional, and personal lives. This workshop will teach you how to identify your Ikigai through a step-by-step method, revolving around the intersection among its four fundamental components: "What you love," "What the world needs,” “What you can be paid for,” and "What you are good at."