The Road Not Taken: Reflections on My First Quarter of College Education

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Robert Frost The poem symbolises where I stand in life. I just stepped onto a road, but maybe not the one less travelled, though. Engineering gets you the big fat pay check (and the good guys depending on whether you have an arranged marriage). Its common knowledge. Thats about it. I came to RIT because I didnt want to go to my second home (India) and wander too far from the Middle East, where I spent all my life. I wanted to complete an ABET accredited degree, so the best bet was RIT. I still dont know where Im heading. But I did try to see as far as I could. All that glitters isnt gold though. I faced the completely unexpected. Contrary to my expectations, I did not have a problem getting to class every morning. Everything was perfect. That was before a few fair weather friends showed their true colours. True friendship isnt what it seems after all. That coincided with a roommate change (the very same day) and then the crystal palace of dreams came crashing down. I fell ill. I had grown so close to those friends in a month that I had almost ignored other acquaintances in

the university. I did not know how to manage things while I was ill, as I it was my first quarter in the housing. I found myself in the middle of nowhere. I learnt that self discipline isnt just getting everything done on time. Self discipline is when you build focus and fulfil commitments even when you dont want to. As for friends and acquaintances, be really nice to them. But I learnt a lesson, never to build castles in the air. Nothings just perfect for a long time. As a good friend recently told me, you have to get used people turning out to be different from what you expect them to be. Be it old friends who were your buddies in school, or new friends who just seemed so nice. Changing lanes, the first quarter introduced me to the VARK worksheet, one of the best things I worked out on in Discovery (a freshman seminar course). It was unexpected; nevertheless, it was a great idea. It took me back to my schooldays for a while after the characteristics of each study method brought back memories of classmates and I, applying similar study strategies as mentioned in the worksheet. I had visual and auditory perception, which justified how I differed from others who would only read, or were not dependent on the class teacher for a good grade. If a teacher was not really up to the mark in explaining content, I would soon be lost. Simply notes wouldnt help, neither would the textbook. The teacher has to interest me through good speaking skills (oration). As I further explored my learning styles, visual and auditory modalities, I found a great deal of information. This helped me understand my learning style better. My favourite learning style is auditory, though I had an equal score on visual and auditory styles. I like to listen and speak. I watch TED talks (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) and share the talk not only on social online networks, but through word of mouth as well. I was popular as a peer tutor through my school years, something I consider a very rewarding, pleasing experience. I consider myself very lucky to be praised as

a good teacher. I believe that a person only needs good teachers for a decent upbringing. Even an orphan could take on the world. A good guide, i.e., a good teacher is what anyone would need in life. Only 30% of the general school-age population is auditory. This explains why people like me are a minority. This is also the most difficult method of learning new information. Therefore, I deduce that this method is also very unpopular. This explains why my mother never encouraged the audio recording of texts. I would read and audio record the material and play the mp3 files on my phone so that I could hear them while in random places. An auditory learner understands 75% of what is clearly said in the lecture. I always need to sit in front, under the nose of the professor. In the noisy back rows, I almost hear nothing. I take in 0% of information from the lecture from the back benches. Encouraged by my mother to read texts, I started a method of learning which, I discovered to be the same as SQ3R (Survey Question Read Recite Review). Auditory learners not only prefer peer tutoring/mentoring and group learning, but they also like oral presentations. As said earlier, I preferred teaching my favourite subjects at school. I learnt Physics by learning a chapter each day and tutoring a person for the same chapter the very next day. Something my classmates found very peculiar about me was that I spoke to problem sums, the teacher in a low voice while being taught, and to myself to make affirmations. I also recorded the teachers voice and asked permission for it. I would also observe my classmates ask doubts or interact within each other during class alongside the voice of the teacher. I prefer debates and presentations being done in the (Communicative) English class back in high school. As a visual learner, I like writing good notes and using mind maps and lists (often rhyming and mnemonic in nature). I like colour and I use a lot of colour coding in

my assignment folders and notes. I love movies and animation. I find meaning in them. I prefer serious cinema. I like to watch to learn and entertain, more of the former than the latter. My favourite teachers in school both recommended movies and books alongside textbooks and regular portion based learning. My high school history teacher, who inspired me in life, taught in an exemplary manner. She would re-phrase points and questions. Varying speed, volume and pitch as appropriate, she helped create interesting aural textures (auditory). She would use mind maps to explain using the board (visual media). She had excellent class control, and no one spoke in her class. She lent me a book from her personal collection of classics. She recommended that I watch Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music and many other movies, she gave me an excellent education, and I continue in pursuit of those ideals she set for her best students. My favourite science teacher used science CD ROMs to teach in 7th grade, the only teacher I have ever known to do so back then in middle school. As I continue education in my life, I may not know where Im headed, but thanks a mother who took a great interest in her childs studies, thanks to some of my teachers who dared to be different, and the library of books, movies, and songs(the media mentioned is not digital) I know where Im coming from. To add to the lifelong learning that started its cycle well long back, I have learnt the importance of restraint in relationships, and the real meaning of self-discipline. Given a blast from the past through study strategies assessment, I went down the memory lane, and despite the pitfalls that happened, came back recharged to pursue studies with even more vigour in the present.

Success will happen, one day: If

If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too: If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise; If you can dream---and not make dreams your master; If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim, If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same:. If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools; If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings, And never breathe a word about your loss: If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!" If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much: If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son! Rudyard Kipling

Works Cited
http://www.poemhunter.com/ http://www.pesdirect.com/lsiauditory.html http://www.pesdirect.com/lsivisual.html