Elizabeth MacDonald, Period 5, 2/11/21, Day B

Elizabeth MacDonald

Period 5

02/11/2021

Day B

Modern Mythology 2021

Goal Setting and Growth

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

Because I am now in the second half of senior year, my goals mostly revolve around figuring out where I want to be in the fall and consequentially, what I want my career to be in the future. While I have finished submitting applications already, I have found that it is almost more difficult to sit and wait for college acceptances or rejections and to sort through my options. When I was thinking about which schools to apply to, I decided I would cover all of my bases by applying to a lot of schools, 14 to be exact.  It was difficult filling out all of the applications but I thought it would then be easier for me later because I would definitely have schools that I could go to. But now, I am realizing how difficult it is to make this decision.  The commitment is 4 years but the implications can last a lifetime.  And there is a lot to take into account: finances, location, major, etc.  So, my immediate goal right now is sorting through all of the information and picking the school that is right for me.

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I have demonstrated resilience towards my goal by doing research on all of the schools I  have been accepted to, and even the ones I haven’t heard back from yet.  I attended a virtual accepted students event just this past weekend and I have been taking virtual tours of different schools as well.  However, it has been difficult to be motivated to take virtual tours and do virtual events because I am missing the experience of really visiting in person.  The thought that I could commit to a school for the next 4 years of my life without ever being there does scare me.  But this is everyone’s current reality and I need to try to make the best of it and hope that I can find enough information elsewhere to make a good decision.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

The world around me has definitely affected my perception of this goal.  First of all, it is more scary than ever to think of moving away from home.  Having been stuck at home for so long because of the pandemic, I find it hard to imagine being away from my home and family for so long.  But, on the other hand, it also makes me excited to be somewhere new and to gain some independence. Another thing that has changed my perception is all of the innovation in the world.  Whether it is creating vaccines, developing new technology, or exploring space, society has been innovating in a big way.  This makes me think about what it is I want to do in the future. I applied to schools with different majors because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do exactly.  Seeing the innovation in the world around me makes me think that one day I could make an impact as well.  So, the world around me has made my goal of choosing a major feel even more important.