As the new school year begins, goal-setting can feel daunting, and the pressure to perform can inhibit the excitement of new possibilities. But at Quincy University, one student organization is tackling the challenge of setting intentions and building confidence from the get-go.

The Women in Law club — a female led organization on campus for career minded students interested in pursuing legal professions — kicked off the year with a Vision Board Night, their first event of the semester. The club mixed creativity, inspiration, and community with a goal to offer members the opportunity to think about their goals and their year — in and out of the classroom.

“So we thought about an activity that a lot of people wanted to do and with an activity you can do and not have to focus too much on it. We can still talk about our club and see if they have interest in participating. You don’t have to be a political science major or criminal justice major to be apart of this. If you are interested in law in any shape or form you can come here and with activity we can talk about this while doing something interactive so its not awkward,” Luisa Andrade said.

The event was held in the Women in Law house off campus across from greek row, where members mingled, created, sparked laughter, and the sound of scissors clicking through old magazines filled the air. Members were gathered around tables, on which were spread poster boards, mod podge, markers, and quotes — all forming their vision boards or unique visual representation of their hopes for the year ahead. 

The concept for the event was simple, yet profound: if students created a physical reminder of their goals, they would be better equipped to focus on and stay motivated to accomplish them throughout the school year. For many attendees it was also an opportunity to slow down and reflect on their goals, especially as they were in the first weeks of the semester. 

Some boards were filled with images of inspiring quotes, sparkly stickers and little gems. Others had personal goals — travel, some self-care, or managing school and work part-time. The diversity illustrated the various paths of the members of the club but that evening, the room was united in excitement and ambition, along with the feeling of sisterhood. 

“It is good to have everyone come together and we are going to make mood boards. This is really exciting, I really hope some new people come in and I want people to feel welcomed. Anybody can join women in law that are criminal justice major or law major anything like that. I am just really looking forward to seeing new people and meeting new people and really making new friendships this year,” Mackenzie Emmons said.

The Women in Law club at Quincy University was founded to support female students pursuing law, providing professional growth, mentorship, and peer support. The club has hosted multiple events, including guest speaker panels and resume workshops, but Vision Board Night allowed a very unique opportunity. 

Before the night ended, there were dozens of colorful boards lining the tables, each one a different visual path for a student to take on the semester. For the Women in Law at QU, the future is not something to await — it’s something to create.