Skills I Would Like to Learn

This summer, my big focus is my social and public speaking skills. This is both a professional and personal goal for me as it is very important and beneficial to have good relations in work environments and a calm demeanor while presenting research. (I tend to be on the panicking side.) As such, I would really like to learn how to fight through my stage fright and also overcome my shyness around new crowds. This involves getting used to putting myself out there and taking that "leap of faith" to speak out more often so it won't be so daunting eventually. It also includes having more confidence in myself and what I'm capable of. I should establish more confidence in my own research so I can present it smoothly as well as confidence in my already obtained skills so that I can comfortably do work and share my ideas.

My second focus is time management with long-term projects. Often, I have trouble spacing out my work properly so I can tackle huge projects in smaller sections. I find it easier to blast through assignments in one shot, so I don't have to worry about it later. But with assignments that are meant to take a long time, it's harder to do it all in one night. I need to learn how to effectively divide the work into "bite"able sections so I can conquer each section one by one. This includes better understanding how I work best as an individual so I can gauge what size sections I can best handle as well as organizational skills in working these sections into my schedule and planning them out so I can complete them in the designated times. This also includes a general willpower to actually get those sections done in the designated times without procrastination.

In conclusion, I particularly struggle with social skills, public speaking, and time management concerning long-term projects. I hope to practice these skills these summer so I can grow accustomed to using them and become comfortable enough to proudly showcase them as skills I have acquired. 

-Patricia Acorda