Blog Entry: 01/19/10

Today's blog assignment is to comment on what we expect of ourselves as students/professionals in training.

Personally, I try to conduct myself in a mature manner when attending classes. I make every effort to show up to all my classes and have any assigned work completed (the video project was an exception). I feel that preparation is important; I check the syllabus for each course that I am registered in to get some idea of what the instructor expects of their students. If there is an emphasis on class participation, I make sure I speak up every now and then. It is also helpful to get to know your classmates, just in case you do miss a class and are in need of the notes you may have missed out on. In turn, I am sure to assist any of my classmates who approach me for assistance. Attending University is more than just reading books (I could stay home and do that), the act of meeting new people with different perspectives in a learning environment adds more dimension to any subject. Class participation (speaking AND listening) is why I am here.

Two geologists that I worked with this Summer gave me some very good advice just before I came to Fredericton to attend UNB. The first one, who is a former Physics Instructor, told me to get to know my instructor right away. She said that if my instructor knows me as more than just a name on a piece of paper, they would be more approachable if I ever needed help, or had to miss a class for a doctor's appointment, etc.
The second geologist simply said "you never know where your next meal is coming from" .... by which he meant play it safe and be nice to everyone.