So what’s next?

Vacation, unemployment, and continuous development.

Vacation: My parents have been waiting many years for the chance to bring their children to see Europe. Okay, my brother and I are no longer young children, but it has been our parents’ dream to experience Europe. In particular, it has been my mom’s dream since my dad would prefer to have more money in the bank account. We will be off for two weeks. It’ll be good to spend time with the family as I have not been home much this term.

Unemployment: I will be paying rent, beginning in May and as the months go by, I will be hurting financially. I have been working since I was 15 and have never had a full summer off since then. It’s about time that I finally get to feel what it’s like to be jobless. I’m not worried though; the economy is in recovery and I never get bored because of the next step.

Continuous Development: I will be discovering new knowledge, developing my skills, and improving my abilities. It’s never going to stop. I plan to take two remaining HR courses in the Fall and Winter to fulfill the CHRP requirements. Afterward, I plan to take music courses on production and private piano lessons. I have several business ideas, but those are for much, much later. First, I will be looking for a career in HR, specifically in recruitment. The job hunt will begin upon my return from vacation. As I search for an organization that fits well, I will be working out, going out, singing my lungs out, eating healthy (i.e. not out), and helping around the house, such as getting the dust out. It’s going to be interesting (like the previous sentence).

For most of this term, I have not done much for school. I have been studying and completing assignments on a last-minute basis. My goal that I set at the beginning of the term for all my courses was a jokingly 100% and that is what I told my parents as well. I have already completed two midterms and have three next week. Failing to reach my goals and listening to another goal setting lecture, I think that it is time to set new goals… realistic goals. One thing that I was missing this term was progress tracking, which is an important feedback component of goal achievement. I also find that I have been too focused on getting marks and did not really care about the material (uh oh… too much extrinsic value and too little intrinsic value). I only find the material in my Intro to Tourism course interesting because it’s more business related.

So, here’s my new focus: learning. Knowledge is power. With knowledge, you make better decisions. For example, with goal setting knowledge, you can now set some goals that will increase the probability of positive outcomes!

Ever since the PSYCH 339 course, I have created a spreadsheet to track my progress. I mainly used them for predicting final marks and the total term average during the final examination period to gauge how much I have to study. This term, I only have two final exams, so I decided to create the spreadsheet today. With the ability to track my progress and a new focus on learning, the second half of this term should be much more interesting.

Compared to my other school terms, I have been doing rather poorly. By making this public (another component of goal setting), I am now accountable for what I have said and posted. It’s time for academic success. For those who are lacking motivation, feel free to do the same and create a spreadsheet to track your progress. It gives you an overview of how you’re doing academically and it’ll help you set/adjust your goals. And remember, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

Winter 2008 -- 3A Term
Fall 2008 -- 3B Term
Spring 2009 -- 4A Current Term

1. Wake up early (6am if you can) to take advantage of the sunlight. In Canada, there is less sunlight during the winter season. Waking up early will help you maximize natural light usage. You’ll feel happier and more energetic. You’ll also be prepared for morning exams.
2. Eat breakfast. You need to fuel up to study.
3. Eliminate distractions. Unplug your laptop, turn off your phone, put away that guitar.
4. Go to the library and use a study carrel. It’ll put you in the studying mood.
5. Schedule in your study time and stick to it. Have 6-8 hours of studying everyday and have about 6 hours for yourself as a reward afterward.
6. Get 8 hours of sleep. It’ll improve memory retention.
7. Exercise. It’ll make you feel much better.
8. Drink water and eat healthy snacks, such as fruit. Water lubricates your brain.
9. When studying, switch subjects every 1-2 hours, so you don’t lose interest.
10. Take a 10 minute break every hour. It allows your brain to make the necessary connections.
11. Don’t be stressed. Preparation is key. You can do it!
12. Throw your hands up in the air after you have completed an exam. It’s always good to celebrate.

Each course required at least a chapter of reading every week along with assignments. There was a lot to juggle around, but it was manageable. I was able to do all required readings for midterms, but I had three consecutive finals in the end. I didn’t touch the textbook for my last exam, PSYCH 339 because I simply didn’t have the time. I studied lecture notes instead, trying to pick out the important concepts. I didn’t do so well on my final for that course, but I had assignments and a good midterm to compensate.

Anyway, here’s how I did well this term. I try new things every term and I performed best this term thus far.

• Know your learning style – Check with your school for questionnaires – Visit University of Waterloo – Career Services – Identifying Your Style – I’m mostly visual
• Attend all lectures
• Pay attention, no sleeping!
• Attend all tutorials
• Complete assigned work before tutorials and ask for help if needed
• Review your lecture notes within 24 hours (at night or the next day) – I still have trouble doing this
• Start assignments as soon as possible – week before
• Build a schedule that works for you – I had 8:30am classes every day
• Schedule in library/study time – My classes went from 8:30-12:30 on most days and I studied from 1pm-4:30pm
• Treat a school day like a work day; no going home early, just occasional slacking/socializing – I take Fridays off sometimes
• Don’t bring a laptop – It’s a huge distraction. If you have to use it, don’t connect to the internet unless absolutely necessary
• Write down assignment due dates and exams on a large wall calendar using course syllabi – you’ll discover your busy weeks
• Write down weekly tasks, such as what chapters to read and what assignments to hand in
• Tackle assignments one by one
• Rotate course readings every hour or so
• Take 10 minute breaks every hour
• Use coffee (stimulant) strategically – before exams or intense studying – not daily
• Reward yourself – party on the weekend, buy yourself a nice dessert
• Sleep – all that you can get – aim for 8 hours
• Be consistent

The most important thing to do is study because that’s where the learning happens. Try to do your readings before lectures to get a glimpse of what you need to know because lectures usually move fast.

I’ve done many hours of studying and it gets exponentially more difficult to obtain a high mark. For example, if you don’t study for a course, you might get a 50, but if you study an hour a day for that course, you get an 80. If you study for 3 hours a day, you get 90 and if you study for 6 hours, you get 92. That’s an exaggeration, but that’s my point. Studying too much doesn’t make much difference in marks, but if you enjoy it, do it because you’ll be learning, which is what university is about. On the whole, the best thing that I did this term is to treat my school day like a work day where I’m in the library all afternoon. Then I go home at 4:30pm and do whatever. On occasion, I would do a little bit of overtime. It’s mostly time management. This way, I kept my evenings and weekends free. Try it for yourself and you won’t be disappointed.

Here’s the description from their website:

The Massive Technology Show is a three-part, interactive event that showcases technology for business. In one action packed day, Massive connects business professionals with high tech companies, giving them a chance to learn about technology in a user friendly environment.

The Trade Show pass is currently offered for FREE as an early bird promotion. You can register here.

I’m planning to check it out. It’ll be nice to see what products and services are available these days. If anyone would like to join me, leave a comment or send me an email.

Link: Massive Technology Show – Toronto

The University of Waterloo has always been an entrepreneurial institution, beginning with the co-operative education program. The university is now recognizing the need for entrepreneurs and is providing entrepreneurs with a jump start through CBET. Furthermore, the Laurel Centre for Social Entrepreneurship is bringing positive change into play, offering lectures, conferences, and a mentorship program. The university is also renovating a residence to create an incubator student residence called VeloCity.

Ladies and Gentlemen… It is time for achievement. It is time for creativity. It is time for improvement. Most importantly, it is time for radical change. The time has come for entrepreneurs. Get out there and change the world!