While reading through blog posts written by my INTD 105 classmates, I came across a post titled “Risks and Mistakes” by Mikaela Freeman. She wrote that “taking a risk and trying something new or facing a challenge often provides more benefits than downfalls.” This point stood out to me and made me consider a time that I faced a new challenge which presented risk and resulted in reward. I immediately thought of the astronomy course I took as my science general education elective.
Geneseo requires students to take numerous general education classes to experience a diverse learning experience. Having to take courses in subjects that do not present interest to students can lead to uneasiness. Many people believe that college is a time for students to develop skills that relate to their major. This is why many students wonder why they have to take classes in topics that have no relation to their field of study. Having this doubt is understandable, but the benefits of general education classes can prove to be substantial.
As a student who has little interest in science, I was apprehensive towards having to take two science electives. This was because I had the preexisting idea that I would struggle in a course related to science. As I registered for my general education classes, I had to remember to keep an open mind to find success in my academic career. The Geneseo GLOBE states that students must “experiment, take risks, and learn from mistakes” while in college. This statement sums up the important aspects that students must recall as they begin their academic journey.
Figuring out which science I wanted to register for was not easy, but I eventually decided on astronomy. A reason I chose to take it was because I had no previous knowledge of the topic. I decided to take this as the opportunity to learn something new and broaden my horizon.
During the first class of the semester, I quickly realized that this class would be full of risk. The professor instructed in a style that was broad. He generally lectured the class using a slideshow that did not offer detailed information. If I did not take thorough notes on what he was saying, I ran the risk of not grasping the information. There was also the risk that I would struggle because I had never learned the material that the professor was teaching. Both of these uncertainties concerned me, but I realized that there were opportunities to avoid failure.
A resource that I often utilized was the review course that the class assistant offered weekly. During the session, information that the professor taught was reviewed and there was the opportunity to ask questions about things that were unclear. This often allowed me to understand things that had caused confusion beforehand.
The use of study groups was another aspect that helped me to avoid succumbing to the classes risks. As the Geneseo GLOBE stresses in the Leadership and Collaboration section, students must “enable, encourage, and recognize contributions to collaborative efforts by all group members; to
manage and share work fairly and respectfully.” By keeping this concept in mind, my classmates and I helped each other to gain new perspectives on the material, learn faster, and understand information that was not clear. These groups offered the opportunity to ask questions and review the material at hand.
By making use of these resources, I came across reward. Keeping an open mind toward general education allowed for my academic career to benefit. I maintained a good grade and gained knowledge by prioritizing hard work and dedication. The use of partnerships and communication helped me to avoid the risks that had originally worried me. Taking astronomy made me recognize that reward can arise when I work hard to avoid presented risks.