Lighting Tomorrow with Today's Effort by Olivia

Lighting Tomorrow with Today's Effort by Olivia - December 2017 Scholarship Essay

As the professor explains the project he or she is assigning, audible groans echo within the classroom. Another opportunity to work with your peers, who all have different schedules and some of whom do not care about their grades; they are just here to pass the class and graduate. I may end up with a good group, or I may have to do the project myself. I have learned that especially if the partners are randomly selected, or you are a freshman who still does not know most of the people in your class, doing a project takes more time and effort than simply studying for an exam or completing a different, individual homework assignment.

Despite the circumstances, it is important to schedule a meeting time with my group the moment I get assigned one. After that, I make sure to ask everyone about any possible ideas they may have for the project. It is important to get inspiration from other sources as well, so I often end up looking up creative ideas. However, although it is great to add a sprinkle of creativity into your project, it is crucial that you stay focused and put considerable effort into your project. Communication within the group can make or break the success of your school project; it is necessary not to fall into the process of groupthink, where group members conform with the rest of the group and their ideas because they are afraid of speaking up and being seen as the odd one out. Voicing my opinion, although it may disagree with those of others allows other members to consider possibilities they may not have thought of earlier.

At the same time, the school project assigned may be an individual project. In that case, all of the aspects of group work do not apply. However, there are still characteristics to any project, whether group or individual, that are pivotal in my success. Creativity and focus on the main goals determined for the project remain highly salient as the planning and presentation of the project are strong determinants of a favorable outcome. As Edison said, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Therefore, to succeed, substantial effort is required. I have found that it is always useful to reach out to my professor rather than being afraid to ask for help. With this action, I show interest in the class and can get a push in the right direction for a highly subjective project. Thus, I may determine an appropriate and applicable angle for the project. I also try to tell a story in my projects, for the mnemonic techniques of association and visualization help people chain together important aspects of my project. In the end, this makes a project stand out more if whoever encounters the project can form personal ties with it. Finally, it is important to learn from any past mistakes so I can grow as a student rather than falling into a trap of attempted justification of my mistakes. A growth mindset is thus the ultimate factor in success, whether I reach my desired outcome or fall short of it; there is always room for improvement.