Reflections on Week 1

1.)Are there any factors that you think are going to affect your participation or experience in this class? Access to a computer?  Mobile/smart phone?  Transportation?  Friends/family? Schedule?

I knew this class would be a challenge for me but I never knew it would be this much of a challenge. Although I've stacked my plate very high with this class, I feel like it's manageable still. There are several factors that do come to mind though when I think about this class. The fact that I'm constantly busy with sports on the weekends and during the week especially with cross country weekends coming up, I feel like I might have to manage my time better. ALTHOUGH, I am definitely managing my time better than I did last year. Another factor that could affect my participating or experience in this class is the fact that I'm also trying to save up for senior year expenses and going to look for a job. This may not be the best idea to make money, but it's the only one I could think of at the moment that is a steady constant of making money. All in all, I feel that with this class I will have to make difficult choices in what to sacrifice whether it's hanging out with my family and friends, or being a sleep deprived zombie.

2.)Think of an awesome best ever learning experience that changed you. What did you learn? Where were you? What happened? Who else was there? Did it teach you anything about how you learn (or pay attention... or remember, or think?) How did you know what was happening? 

I could think of several moments that have been positive life changing events to me especially since  I've been to numerous leadership camps with outstanding inspirational speakers and gone to hell and back with my best friends a few times. The most recent learning experience that changed me was when my role model Jim Brogan spoke to my RYLA camp, in Ojai with about 200 other kids around the Santa Barbara area, about setting goals and being persistent in life. One of the things I remember the most is his speech about the quote, "Ask and you shall receive." As simple as a phrase it is, not many people have the courage to go beyond a thought or question; simply leaving it as a lost thought. What I learned from that moment on is, that things should not be made more complicated than they already are. A reason as to why people hold back on many questions are because of that inner self conscious voice that tells them wild assumptions about what other people might think of them. If people could learn to put that voice to rest, life would be less difficult then it is. I learned a good lot about my self that day, how I am that person that holds back, when really it's only me against myself. His speech taught me that for a portion of my life I let my inner self conscious voice take control. I still have it today, but I've learned to manage it much better than I used to be.   

3.) What are you most [excited/concerned] about in this class? What do you look forward to in learning?  How do you think it can/will make a practical difference in your life?

I'm excited about everything in this class. I feel like everyday I learn something new either about myself, life, or the class in general. I'm ecstatic for the wide variety of opportunities I could use my imagination and ideas to better my learning and help others too. There's just so much I could so about what I look forward to in learning that I don't think I can put it in words just yet. Although, my only concern is that I won't have enough time... I have a good intuition that I will thoroughly enjoy this class, but sometimes I feel like I won't have enough time to give towards the work in this class. But, this will only be another lesson in my life and this course will play a significant part in my life by being a building block to me learning how to use resources correctly.