This course has required me to think and expand on ideas like I never have before in any other class. For most classes I have taken, you complete the assignment and move on to the next thing, leaving what you did already in the past, but this class is different. The assignments build on each other and what you wrote about and conducted interviews for in the past are relevant in each forthcoming assignment. This forces me to put all my effort into each assignment and to look back and learn from past blog entries.
2) Tenaciousness is also about attitude. Talk about a moment or two when you felt like "giving up." What pulled you through? Do you feel like you've developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months? What experience or experiences most contributed to this?
I felt like giving up when I had procrastinated on my assignments and had to complete two ENT blog entries after a 9-5 shift at work. Other obligations can make it difficult to complete my assignments early and specifically on this occasion when I came home from a long day at work, I was not motivated to complete two assignments, believing that skipping one or two entries would not hurt my grade too much. But I knew that if I gave in now, it could possibly result in bad habits developing and so I forced myself to sit down and get everything I needed to done and on time. I do believe I have developed a tenacious attitude over the past two months, no matter how busy i get, I always make sure to leave time to watch every single lecture, complete all of my assignments to the best of my ability, and provide helpful feedback on every assignment thus far. Having friends and other peers I know in the class help me complete my tasks because we motivate each other to get our work done and keep up with the lectures.
3) Three tips. What are three tips you would offer next semester's students about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the "tenacious mindset"?
To be successful in this class, you have to be determined and motivated to get work done that is accurate and done with effort. It can be easy to cut corners, publish the bare minimum, or not conduct proper interviews, but you are only doing a disservice to yourself. Do all the required work if you want to get the most out of the class.
Your mindset should be focused on the big picture more so than just the individual assignment. Each assignment is meant to develop research and entrepreneurial skills and once you have done a certain amount of assignments, including the ones that require you to expand upon an entrepreneurial idea, you will begin to see the skills you have learned overtime, that you don't notice when just typing up your individual entries.
Don't let the lack of exams fool you into thinking this is just a course you can blow off and not focus on. Take advantage of the skills being taught to you and try to study them, not for some exam, but because they are useful in your everyday life.
I love all your advice. I feel like this will definitely help future students who decide to take this class. I like your advice regarding to not underestimate the difficulty of this class since there are no finals. In the past I have also felt the same way where I procrastinated an assignment and then had to do a quick interview where I was unable to get all the information needed.
ReplyDeleteMatt, i like the fact that tenacity is something that can be learned. I think the future is brighter with people who know that life sometimes consists of doing things that are not necessary, but beneficial. The discipline it takes to get assignments done after work is tough, but it seems like you have a grasp on a skill that is important in life and in business. Congratulations on fighting through the urge to give the bare minimum. You will be successful if that is a way of life for you.
ReplyDeleteTime management is always so difficult to keep up when you are in college. I totally understand your struggles when you thought about not doing two assignments that week that you mentioned before. Sometimes, it is pretty hard when other responsibilities such as work, internships or assignments from other classes collide with this one's. Commitment is an integral part of this class.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to coming home from work and just wanting to lay down or relax.. nothing is worse than remembering you have assignments to do, especially on a Friday night. Procrastination is something most people suffer with so at least you know you're not alone. I don't think there's a better moment in life than when you get home from a long shift and you had all your assignments done the day before.
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