91²Ö¿â Today has been following a group of Golden Flashes for the 2025-26 academic year, chronicling their efforts and successes during the fall and spring semesters. The group of students is at various places in their 91²Ö¿â academic careers and will share their experiences throughout the year as they take part in our distinctive programs, research and global experiences.
Here, we catch up with senior physical education and sport performance major Julia Michalak between student-teaching classes during her final semester at 91²Ö¿â. In a brief Q&A-style interview reflecting on her trials and triumphs from the past four years, Michalak offers some wise words for her younger self and for future Golden Flashes.
You can read Part I in the series here, and Part II here.
Q: Gym class used to be your least favorite place. What is your favorite part of it now?
A: I think just that I'm teaching it, honestly. I like being able to be the one who's going in and making sure it's a safe environment for all. And I mean, when you're teaching what used to be your terror, it feels pretty good. It feels really empowering.
I like that I'm getting to help people with the same thing I struggled with because empathy is powerful.
Q: When you think about your whole 91²Ö¿â experience, what was harder than you expected and what turned out to be easier than you thought it would be?
A: Well, I would say to both of those questions, student teaching. When I first started, the first two weeks, if I'm being completely honest, I thought about quitting. Not because I didn't want to do this, but because it was just so overwhelming. Then, you get the field experience, and you get time with the kids, but nothing can prepare you for doing it five days a week – the planning that goes into it, the management, learning how to actually be a good teacher. But then, once you get to like the third or fourth week, you're like, "Oh, this isn't so bad." It's not really that hard. It's just finding the rhythm initially is tough.
I was very fearful of struggling to move fast enough and move equipment when I started student teaching, but my mentor-teacher Ty-Ann Gray helped me to overcome that fear by pushing me to do the things I may have felt uncomfortable doing. I always knew she was 100 percent supportive of me and wanted me to succeed just as much as I did.
Before parting ways, we asked Michalak what she would tell her younger self – and other Golden Flashes – when they struggle with moments of doubt on their journey? Here’s her answer, in her own words.