The Big Picture

So as I'm sitting here sitting (possibly procrastinating by writing this) I started to think back on what a stressful yet memorable semester this has been.  Starting off the first few months of the semester in 18 hours was a challenge and learning how to manage my time even more efficiently. This year I have learned a lot about myself and a lot about the world around me.  I know it sounds cheesy but truly all of my class have taught me something unique this semester and most of them even tie together. My grandma who was a professor at Louisiana State University for many years always told me that the point of college was to get the joke.  I honestly never knew what she meant by that until I got here and realized that college classes are there to give you a wider range of knowledge.  What she meant was that in order to not be the only one not laughing at the joke you have to learn a little bit about all different subjects.  Here is a little overview of my journey to getting the joke this semester:

Business Foundations:
The first thing I learned is that the business world is a scary place! You constantly have to be on top of everything, you have to be prepared at any moment to "tell someone about yourself" and you have to work with groups.  This was the first class I have ever been in where a semester long project was assigned AND you had to work with the same group all year.  Luckily, I got to form really great friendships with the girls in my group but unfortunately, the work doesn't always get evenly distributed. It made me realize the value that having a strong group of co workers in my future career.

Psychology of Men and Women:
Honestly, I probably know wayyyyy too much about what makes boys and girls different and what makes them alike. I'm pretty sure I overanalyze everything anyone says nowadays but I found the subject fascinating.  Sometimes people laugh when I tell them I am in this class because they are like "isn't it kind of self explanatory?"  However, I disagree with them.  There is a huge benefit to taking this class not just for entertainment but for the purpose of learning what essentially makes the opposite sex tick.  For me, the information I learned in this class is going to allow me to work with men for effectively in my future business career.  I have also learned why people react the way they do, why they say the things they do, and most importantly, how I can learn to break down those communication barriers.

Business Law:
Basically, I learned that you can get sued for just about anything.  A simple "nahh" rather than a flat out "no" can make you liable for someone else's actions. This semester for an extra credit assignment, my friend Kelli and I got to go visit the criminal justice center in downtown Fort Worth.  We attended a sexual assault cause involving a police officer and oddly enough, we both fell in love with the courtroom.  It was exciting and full of "juicy information".  What girl would love it?  This class has inspired me to go possibly go to law school one day...

Foundations of Leadership: 

This is my class for Next Gen this semester and I would say this class has allowed me to learn the most about myself.  I learned that although I may be an extroverted person, I tend to have an introverted thought process.  Sounds strange, right?  I thought so too but it basically just means that I like to take the time to think things through before presenting them or acting on them.  I also learned how to have an effective crucial conversation along with shifting my paradigms.  

Literature and Civilizations 2:

The most important thing I always take away from all of my honors classes is the ability to think critically.  For most of us, we rarely get to talk about our opinion on a book because we are usually just told what the author meant or what our professor thinks about the book.  It is nice to have class discussions that allow us to think outside the box and be creative.  I learned in depth how to analyze why something is funny to us and how to write a paper that makes people laugh.  

Overall, this semester has taught me a variety of lessons inside and outside of the classroom.  I look forward to seeing what is in my future for the next 2.5 years! 

Til next time, 

Caroline