Sunday, November 17, 2013

What I've Learned Thus Far

Well here I am mid November, trying to come to terms with where all the time has gone. Each semester that passes by seems to be going quicker than the last. I have to say though, this semester has taught me a lot.

They say that classes are supposed to get more difficult with each semester. While I do believe there is some truth to this statement, I would have to say that overall it is not this way for me. When I was a freshman at TCU I was taking a plethora of classes that did not pertain to anything that I wanted to do with my life. I merely took these classes to earn core credit. However, I should put a disclaimer here, even though some of the classes I have taken don’t apply to my future career, there have been ones that have been incredibly rewarding. For the most part though, I find it harder to enjoy a class that has little do with my major or natural interests. For example, Spanish. It’s a great class and I wish I had it in me to still have the ability to learn a language, but I am going to go out on a limb and say that ship has sailed. There have been other classes though, such as this class (lit and Civ) that has been surprisingly enjoyable. I never thought that I would take a class that would allow me to study the topic of humor so widely. I know that I am guilty of looking at the world through an ethnocentric point of view, and this class has really allowed me to see humor in a whole new light. Studying how other people perceive humor and how humor has developed over time is such an interesting topic. I feel that this class has allowed me to stop and as they say “smell the roses” and take in everything that this class has to offer. One thing in particular that has stood out for me in this class is the conversational partner project. I really look forward to meeting with my partner, Joe, every week. It has been such a great experience talking with him and learning things I would have never even thought out before. This class has allowed me to become more culturally aware of humor.


My other classes this semester have been positive experiences as well. I am pleased to say that I do not have any classes or teachers that make me dread going to class. One class that I was worried about this semester was Biology, because it had been a long time since I have last taken a biology class. To my surprise it hasn’t been a problem at all and I actually enjoy going to the class. I did not forget as much as I thought I would have from high school. The classes I am taking for my Speech-Language Pathology major are also going quite well this semester. I have been able to work directly with a client, which is beyond rewarding. This past weekend I went home to Chicago to go to a convention for my major. The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) was having their annual convention in the city, and I thought that it would be great opportunity to be able to learn more about my major and look at graduate school programs. After going to the convention I realized that this decision was one of the best I have made my entire time at TCU. I now feel like I am for sure in the right place with what I want to do. I know that I have a lot ahead of me in the next two semesters before I graduate but it will be a positive journey. I have a lot of preparation for grad school and it makes me nervous to think about all the aspects involved with getting accepted into a school. After talking with many different universities and admission staff I now know the tasks I need to accomplish to get these things done. I have learned so much this semester about what I need to do to get myself where I want to be in the future and I am truly looking forward to seeing how all of it will play out. I know that along the way there are still going to be challenges but I keep telling myself that the outcomes will far outweigh all the stress and work that is involved with the process.

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