Favorite Seminars
One of my favorite seminars was the maze seminar. Each of us had to follow along the rope and through the obstacles until we reached the "finish line." I followed the people in front of me, hoping that they will help me find the way out. I remembered trying so quickly to keep up with the people in front of me that I blocked out everything that was surrounding me. It felt like I was going in constant circles. Eventually, I heard the person behind finished the maze, and I was shocked, mad, and upset. I was getting really tired doing the maze, but at the same time I just wanted to get out so I continued following the rope. While I did the maze again, I finally heard people in the room shouting out "If you need help, just raise your hand." I didn't think I needed help at first, but then they kept asking if I needed help and highly emphasized the statement. Eventually, I gave up, and asked for help. Out of no where, people started cheering and yelling "Janet finished the maze! Whoohoo!" At that moment, I thought to myself was "WOOOW..." because all I had to do was ask for help.
This seminar activity was really an eye opener for myself because I would not have raised my hand after 30 minutes of attempting to finish the maze. I'm the oldest in my family, and the first person in my family to have attend college. My family members' ability to speak English isn't as good so I'm the one in my family to take care of everything. I learned how to be independent and responsible; I did everything on my own. With the mentors asking us if we need help, I refused it because I wanted to finish the maze by myself. I continue motivating myself to not give up even though I was the last couple of people who didn't finish yet. Eventually, when I was tired of going in circles, I asked for help, and I finished the maze. I realized so many things that night about myself.
The moral of the story is that it is okay to ask for help. You're going to run into obstacles that you cannot overcome by yourself. There are many people in your life that cares about you, and want you to succeed. Whenever you're struggling and are too weak and scared to ask for help, remind yourself why your family, friends, mentors, etc. are in your life. They are in your life because we need them for love and support. I learned that it is okay to ask for help, even if it's not much. The little things still mean the most.
One of my favorite seminars was the maze seminar. Each of us had to follow along the rope and through the obstacles until we reached the "finish line." I followed the people in front of me, hoping that they will help me find the way out. I remembered trying so quickly to keep up with the people in front of me that I blocked out everything that was surrounding me. It felt like I was going in constant circles. Eventually, I heard the person behind finished the maze, and I was shocked, mad, and upset. I was getting really tired doing the maze, but at the same time I just wanted to get out so I continued following the rope. While I did the maze again, I finally heard people in the room shouting out "If you need help, just raise your hand." I didn't think I needed help at first, but then they kept asking if I needed help and highly emphasized the statement. Eventually, I gave up, and asked for help. Out of no where, people started cheering and yelling "Janet finished the maze! Whoohoo!" At that moment, I thought to myself was "WOOOW..." because all I had to do was ask for help.
This seminar activity was really an eye opener for myself because I would not have raised my hand after 30 minutes of attempting to finish the maze. I'm the oldest in my family, and the first person in my family to have attend college. My family members' ability to speak English isn't as good so I'm the one in my family to take care of everything. I learned how to be independent and responsible; I did everything on my own. With the mentors asking us if we need help, I refused it because I wanted to finish the maze by myself. I continue motivating myself to not give up even though I was the last couple of people who didn't finish yet. Eventually, when I was tired of going in circles, I asked for help, and I finished the maze. I realized so many things that night about myself.
The moral of the story is that it is okay to ask for help. You're going to run into obstacles that you cannot overcome by yourself. There are many people in your life that cares about you, and want you to succeed. Whenever you're struggling and are too weak and scared to ask for help, remind yourself why your family, friends, mentors, etc. are in your life. They are in your life because we need them for love and support. I learned that it is okay to ask for help, even if it's not much. The little things still mean the most.
Another seminar that I enjoyed listening to was given by Karen's aunt, Rita J. Heise. After being exposed to the real world for about 20 years, she gave us information and tips on how to become an effective leader. A leader's role has many tasks, which include establishing a vision, creating a team to achieve success, developing others, provide support and encouragement, and communicate and serve others. To become an effective leader you must have values, learn from your mistakes, getting uncomfortable is good, embrace your fear of failure, and be engage.
Having values is knowing who you are. Values consist of culture beliefs and practices, personal value that will lead to high performance, the basis for decision making and ethics and integrity that gives the courage and determination to live by your values. We gain a lot through learning from our mistakes. People fear failure, but our ambitions to achieve our goals is worth pursuing, and sometimes it involve struggles. Although perseverance is not perfection, continuing to learn and fail will make us stronger and never lose the hope and enthusiasm we need. From this seminar, I learned that being uncomfortable is good. People learn more when they are situated in an uncomfortable position because it involves psychological changes and heightened senses; meaning that you are living in a more conscious state. When we embrace our fear of failure, we succeed better. Failure brings us closer to success. Through failure, it reveals what we are capable of doing, and strengthens our character. When we hit rock bottom, what matters is how high we soar back up. Failure inspires us because it makes us work harder with greater focus.Failure is better than regret. In order for us to be engaged in our tasks, we need to have a healthy satisfaction, a good confidence and interest, and most importantly, be happy.
Rita Heise taught me something that I will remember for the rest of college career and probably beyond that. She gave us metaphors to remind us the people we want to become. She asked us if we wanted to be a carrot, egg, or coffee bean. At first I did not understand. Once she explained to us what she meant by her question, I quickly wanted to be a coffee bean. Putting a carrot in hot water, the carrot becomes softer. Placing an egg in a pot of boiled water, the egg became hard. Adding a coffee bean to a mug of hot water, the coffee bean changed the liquid. The coffee bean changed the taste and color of the water. From this metaphor I learned something very valuable that I will carry with me everywhere I go. Don't let the environment change you, but change the environment. I realized that I wanted to be a coffee bean and make a difference in my surrounding.
Having values is knowing who you are. Values consist of culture beliefs and practices, personal value that will lead to high performance, the basis for decision making and ethics and integrity that gives the courage and determination to live by your values. We gain a lot through learning from our mistakes. People fear failure, but our ambitions to achieve our goals is worth pursuing, and sometimes it involve struggles. Although perseverance is not perfection, continuing to learn and fail will make us stronger and never lose the hope and enthusiasm we need. From this seminar, I learned that being uncomfortable is good. People learn more when they are situated in an uncomfortable position because it involves psychological changes and heightened senses; meaning that you are living in a more conscious state. When we embrace our fear of failure, we succeed better. Failure brings us closer to success. Through failure, it reveals what we are capable of doing, and strengthens our character. When we hit rock bottom, what matters is how high we soar back up. Failure inspires us because it makes us work harder with greater focus.Failure is better than regret. In order for us to be engaged in our tasks, we need to have a healthy satisfaction, a good confidence and interest, and most importantly, be happy.
Rita Heise taught me something that I will remember for the rest of college career and probably beyond that. She gave us metaphors to remind us the people we want to become. She asked us if we wanted to be a carrot, egg, or coffee bean. At first I did not understand. Once she explained to us what she meant by her question, I quickly wanted to be a coffee bean. Putting a carrot in hot water, the carrot becomes softer. Placing an egg in a pot of boiled water, the egg became hard. Adding a coffee bean to a mug of hot water, the coffee bean changed the liquid. The coffee bean changed the taste and color of the water. From this metaphor I learned something very valuable that I will carry with me everywhere I go. Don't let the environment change you, but change the environment. I realized that I wanted to be a coffee bean and make a difference in my surrounding.