The end of the quarter is nearing. Finally. I can’t wait to turn in my last assignment and kick back for the rest of the month. For my last blog post of this quarter, I decided it would be a good time to reflect on my personal progress, in both this class and others. What did I do well? What did I epically fail on? What will I do differently next time?
The Good
Taking Breaks
This quarter, I have done a really good job at knowing when to take a break. I would spend hours straight debugging a single assignment. This always ended up in me being frustrated and exhausted, with little to no progress done on the assignment. This quarter, I started using the Pomodoro Method more. This method is a ratio of work to rest, usually 25 minutes work and 5 minutes rest. After doing 2–4 rounds of this (1-2 hours of work), I would do something else for a bit. This forced me to be conscious about how I am using time and to not focus on one thing for too long.
Asking for Help
Working with a group for my Capstone this quarter has also improved my ability to ask for help. I used to be nervous to ask for help from TA’s, Instructors, or my peers. I would get nervous that I was being annoying or asking stupid questions. For the Capstone, I am really lucky to have a great, supportive group. If I have a question, I know I can put it in the group chat and someone will help without making me feel like a burden. This has made me more comfortable asking for help in different classes and in different areas of life.
The Bad
Setting Realistic Goals
I love writing my daily to-do list in Notion. Every night, I look over what I got done that day and plan what I need to do the next day to stay on track. I write down those tasks, and the cycle repeats. The thing I have been struggling with is writing down tasks that I can actually get done in a day.
The Solution
To help me do better with this next quarter, I plan on making sure to read the assignment descriptions before putting them on my to-do list so that I have an idea of what they entail. Knowing the requirements will allow me to break up the assignment into smaller pieces and add those pieces to my tasks. Also, remembering that a list is a tool and not a rule-book will be beneficial. I don’t have to do everything on that list if I find something else that needs to be done. Conversely, I can do things that aren’t on my list if they need to be done.
Goals for Next Quarter
One goal I have for next quarter is to participate more in live lectures, office hours, and optional class discussions. I have previously done a better job of this, but it’s something I neglected a little this quarter. Participating more in my classes not only enriches the online experience, but it adds to my learning of course content. It is also just fun and a great way to make new friends. By making a more conscious effort to engage with my courses and peers in this way, I will get the most out of my last few quarters at OSU.
Conclusion
This quarter has gone by so fast! I’m glad to have a time to reflect on all the things that went well, all the things that didn’t, and what I want out of my next quarter. I am excited about the new opportunities it will bring!