Stop & Think !!

"Life without examination is no life" - Plato

Slide from Lecture on Reflection by Dr, Persaud. The slide is taken from
the course Blackboard page.

No experience in life is worth having unless we stop and think about that experience and analyze the ways in which it effects us and those around us. This process of extracting ones mind from the whirlpool of tasks and looking inwards is termed Reflection.

Throughout this journey of Service Learning, we were constantly made to reflect on our expereinces every alternate week which provided an opportunity to for self awareness and self-improvement. 

My Journal Entries

Dont forget to reflect 

I submitted five Journal entries throughout the semester to reflect and analyze my service learning experience. Having to write the journals provided me with an opportunity to think about my experience, my place in the community I served and the highs and lows of a working environment. The links for each journal entry are available below. 

Journal Entry 1: Self-Efficacy

The first idea I reflected upon after the first week of placement was the idea of self-efficacy. It highlights my belief in my abilities and whether or not I considered my self powerful enough to make an impact on the community I was about to serve for the next four months. To read more about my thoughts and ideas, please click here. 

Journal Entry 2: A comparison: Before and After the placement and Changes observed

I submitted a second journal entry after 2 weeks of my placement to compare the changes I observed in myself and the community I served in those two weeks. To read more about the journey of the first two weeks, please click here. 

Journal Entry 3: Monotony at work

Nohting is perfect and after 6 weeks of placement, some of the high that I felt initially began to wear off. My thoughts at this point and the measures I took to resolve the issues I was facing are discussed in third journal entry. Click here to read more abouth this.

Journal Entry 4: Connection between service and learning

After almost 8 weeks of working as a lab assistant and having answered countless questions while in the lab I began to realize the real meaning of the knowledge I possessed. I was applying the knowledge that I barely knew I had. Where did I get that? How was I able to satisfactorily answer the questions on the spot? To learn more about this, click here. 

Journal entry 5: Balancing Placement Commitment during midterms

Almost mid-way, when my own course load increased; I found it challenging to keep up with the placement requirements and my own academic commitments. To read more about how I dealt with this stress, click here.