Reflections on Week 1

1. I think the only thing that would affect me in this class would be myself. I tend to over think situations, but I am mentally prepared for this class and am not going to to let myself get in the way of what I do (ironic). The other factor would probably my class mates. I might get distracted during class or won't want to give my opinion based on those of others. Also, if I just have a bad morning, it might affect my participation and overall day.
2. One of the best ever learning experiences for me was recently over the summer. I was mentoring a doctor at his office and he said this really clever analogy to tell his patients about how to walk up stairs with a hurt leg. "The good go up to heaven and the bad go down to hell." So the good leg goes up every step while the bad one drags behind. When he said it the first time I thought it was funny and didn't think really anything of it, but he told another patient later in the day and looked to me to give the analogy. I was a deer in head lights and had no idea. He just laughed and proceeded to tell his patient and I had an "Oh Duh!" moment. After that I wrote it down and made a mental note to remember it for future use and just in case he asked me again. I learned that a good way for me to learn is through repetition and fear of letting others down. I kept repeating that memo in my head and really thought about the words to better absorb them. He actually asked me again and I knew the answer and so I felt like I didn't let him down as one of his "minions" and he could see that I was a good student and that I was actually listening and learning things. Also, visual representations and examples, such as analogies, help me connect obscure ideas with more familiar ideas as with probably most others.
3. I am excited about the ability to come out of my shell and find out a little more about myself. There are so many directions in life that I have been exposed to and so I hope this class can clarify or justify my thoughts on the future. I want to be more independent and get a new perspective in life. I love having those "oh my gosh this is so cool" or "Ohhhhh" moments because they show me that I am actually learning something and I can take value from the experience. This class is very self oriented so it will help me with college and the free structure that it has. The ability to stand out and take advantage of little opportunities in a big community is all college is about and I think this class will help me make connections for my future or at least provide me with the skills to prepare myself. This class is a breath of fresh air because it's so different from all the other classes in high school and being a senior, its nice to go out with a fresh/new pair of eyes. I hope this all happens so I am naturally nervous that it won't and then what. I don't know what comes next but I trust those around me and myself to help each other get to wherever "next" is.