Half-Way Reflection

Developed Behaviors:
As we approach the half-way point of the semester I feel it's important to reflect on the behaviors that have allowed me to succeed thus far. The number one behavior that I have used to keep up with the course is keeping myself organized. Every person has their own way of being organized. My take on this method is to keep a daily "planner" or list in my computer and phone with what I need to do. Below I've included a screenshot of this planner but this is during a time where I'm quite caught up on my work and am actually working ahead. Believe me, there have been times where this list has been much larger and I've had to list out several assignment next to one class.

I've also developed myself throughout the course of these two months enough that I no longer really find it hard to speak with a stranger. Many of the assignments in this course required that I go out and speak with strangers, a task that I have struggled with in the past. Communication skills are extremely important and while I considered myself quite personable before taking this class, I have definitely grown in my ability to approach strangers and hold a conversation.

Hard Times (How to keep the momentum going!):

The "hardest time" that I have experienced so far in the semester was definitely when I had several large deadlines due during the same week. These deadlines included a Physics 2 test (those are hard by the way), a 1000+ word report, customer interviews, and group work for a software development project. When there is pressure from so many different assignments it can be very easy to give up and under-perform in one class to make up for it. I was able to pull through by staying committed and working long hours several days in a row. Keeping a goal in mind is especially important when trying to stay focused with a lot of work. For me that goal is to personally develop myself as much as possible, all while keeping my grades up. That sounds like tenacity to me.


Tips:

1. Stay organized. There is no one "right" way to do this, but whatever way you choose to stay organized make sure it works for you.
2. Make realistic and achievable goals. While it's not realistic to say you'll be ahead by 3 assignments in every class by the end of the week, it is realistic to say you'll be ahead by a few assignments in one class. Completing goals is just as important as setting them to begin with.
3. Go above and beyond requirements. While it's not realistic to dedicate a large amount to every assignment, you'll get the most out of this class if you take every assignment seriously. Sure you can choose to do the bare minimum for every assignment, but you'll have to ask yourself if you're really developing any useful skills for the real world (where you'll be all on your own).