Enduring to the End of the Semester

This past week has been very stressful.  The saying, "It is always darkest before the dawn" was my experience leading up towards the break. I was under a lot of stress due to this class and my stats class.  With mcom I was working on my group assignment which took me more time and effort than I originally planned. I am sure those of you who read this can relate to that.  And with the pressure of presenting for this class is also on the horizon.  In my stats class I had a important exam that I needed to preform well on.  You know how it goes in college... Always trying to stay a float in all your classes.  I feel this is an especially hard time of the year because up to this point it has been a long time since our last break.  It is also rough because the semester is almost over so many final projects are due and we just want to get to the holidays.  During the chaos of this time of year I have come away with some new insights.

First, enduring to the end of the semester will either make or break me.  This is easier said then done. As of right now I am in pretty good spot to have success this semester, and at the same time I am in a dangerous spot of loosing all I have worked for so far.  Sticking it out will be worth my time and effort.

Second, breaks are much needed and appreciated.  There is a reason why we have a sabbath day or a day of rest.  They are needed in order for us to function better.  Especially during this time of year when you can reflect with gratitude all the blessing that you really have.  This period is a great re boost for moving forward and helping me work towards enduring to the end.  Moving forward I will continue to look forward to breaks from school and continue to put forth a great effort in enduring to the end.

So I would like to get a feel for how all of you feel.  Below is a link to a survey that asks about the most difficult time of the semester. Check it out

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1nqGJkukXSP_9vzrQ4bxYB7tkpnksINtHPWRkpcE4ysM/viewform?usp=send_form

Study Groups

Studying with others is usually something that I try to avoid.  In the past I have been guilty of getting distracted when studying with others.  All to often the conversation will shift from Newton's laws of motion to Tom Brady's QBR.  It takes self discipline to keep yourself and the group you are working with on topic.  I had a goal at the beginning of the semester to improve the study groups that I participate in and focus on getting the most out of them.  My first step was to create a few study groups with some of my classmates, which I was able to establish early on.  With my study groups established for two of my classes I was ready to focus more on being productive, and helping myself and the group members learn the content.  The results have been more than I could have asked for.   The learning experience I am having within these groups and the classes has been excellent.  I am convinced that my current grades in the courses are better than what they would have been if I had continued with my habits of solo study work.  The study groups have allowed me to teach my classmates course material and in so doing implanting the concepts deep in my brain.  I have also been the beneficiary of being taught the material from my classmates in a effective manor.  This experience has taught me the importance of study groups and that I do in fact enjoy them.

Moving forward I plan on establishing more study groups with my classmates.  It is a great way to get the most out of the class.  Talking with others about what you are learning is something that is not done enough in college.  It is also a great way to make friends with people whom you usually wouldn't be friends with.  Two heads are truly better than one.

Staying Connected

Getting older comes with unavoidable consequences, one of which is separation from certain personal connections.  I have met many friends while attending college and have made many great memories with those people.  As time has passed and as other obligations have arose in life people have moved on.  This week I came to the realization that I have become distant to many of my friends.  There are various reasons that have caused the distance include marriage, graduation, and people moving.  I have learned that unless I make a effort to keep in contact with these people that we  will lose touch.  This weekend I made the effort to meet up with one of my friends that has moved to Salt Lake City.  I was able to up and visit him, and he was able to come down and visit me.  We were able to catch up and once again enjoy each others company.  All it took was a little effort on my part to reach out to him.  I think that in this ever changing period of our lives we just get caught up in ourselves.  Its about our work, our schooling, our health, and many other things.  We have to consciously go out of our way to keep our bonds of friendship strong.  A sad example in my life is how much I see some of my old friends who I used to live by.  Now that we have moved less than a mile away from each other we see one another so much less.  It used to be to convenient to walk out my door down the hall and into their place.

Moving forward I will now focus on making more of an effort to keep in contact with my friendships. It may not be as easy to call them up and see them but I can still send a text, message on facebook, or a phone call.  I want to keep my connects strong.  I will stop doing what is always convenient and easy.  Even if that means driving a half mile to see someone.

Online Interview

The mock interview that i did in class and over facetime were very insightful and helpful.  I enjoyed the preparation that I put into the whole process.  The whole situation felt very realistic, from what I was wearing to what I was thinking.  I have never been in a job interview for a position that I would consider for my future career.   Doing this exercise allowed me get a fill for more of an applicable potential interview.  During the in class interviews I was able have the experience of being interview by a panel.  The situation seemed very intimidating at first but I learned to just treat it as if you were being interview by only one person.  By answering to who ever asked it.  I also felt I was very prepared so that helped calm my nerves.  The main areas I focused on to improve my interview skills were answering questions with buzz words, keeping my posture appropriate, and ask the interviewer questions.  I was able to use buzz words from the job description to answer questions in both interviews. The interesting thing was focusing on my posture in the facetime interview.  The interviewer could not see my body so I focused on keeping a smile on my face, and looking at the phone screen.  Following up interviews with a question for the potential employer was very helpful.  I need to get to know what I might be working for and what the job atmosphere is like. Over all it was a very positive experience and I fell it has better prepared me for my job interviews in the future.