Halfway Reflection

1) Tenaciousness is a competency. What are the behaviors that you have used (or developed) to keep up with the requirements of this course? 

Through this course I have discovered the value in preparation. This class structure has been counter to many of my recent courses in the high volume of deliverables. Many of my other classes in college have only required 3 exams for a semester’s worth of content. This course has challenged me to look ahead each week and prepare in order to stay ahead. Each assignment has required me to brainstorm and revise it to provide the best quality work. Usually my first idea for a solution was not as good as it could have been but with revising I could come up with something great that I was proud of. 

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 had forgotten about an assignment that was due on Friday at noon until 10pm the night before. I was scrambling to deliver my product and absolutely felt like I should just ignore the assignment and take a zero. I was motivated to push through and exercise tenacity based on the nature of the deliverables. Each assignment builds on the one previous, as we establish a business plan over the entire course. As such, each assignment is necessary as it serves as a building block for the next. This inspired me to push through and provide quality work, rather than accept a zero for a dumb mistake. 

3) Three tips. What are three tips you would offer next semester's student about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the 'tenacious mindset' ?

I would recommend staying in communication with your professor and asking any questions or thoughts about the material, even if they seem minor. I have reached out to Prof Pryor on multiple occasions with minor questions related to lecture that I would likely have just raised my hand to ask in class but, under normal circumstances, wouldn’t warrant an email. Because of the online structure of class this semester, I wanted to challenge myself to stay as engaged as I would have been in a traditional classroom model and I feel that this has helped me extensively. I would also advise people to pay close attention to the lectures and watch them ahead of the assignments so you know the direction you should be thinking in. I think I would have saved myself a lot of time if I had known and committed to an opportunity that was feasible earlier than I officially declared. Finally, I would encourage people to reflect on their interactions with others in their interviews, but also not take those too personally. I had a few uncomfortable interviews where I was convinced I was bothering the person and it shot my confidence. Ultimately, recognize that people who don’t want to talk or aren’t giving you the information you need does not impact you in the long run and plenty of people were more willing to help when they understood you are a student conducting research, not selling them.