Giorgia Musselwhite, Period 8, 2/9/21, Day C

Giorgia Musselwhite

Period 8

2/4/21

Day C

Modern Mythology 2021


Goal Setting and Growth



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


At this point, I have overcome the major hurdles of my senior year. My college search is finished, applications are submitted, and first semester is completed. However, I know that the second semester of senior year is still important, and that I need to stay diligent and prevent myself from becoming idle. Therefore, one of my goals for the next few months is to stave off “senioritis” and continue to try in my classes, as well as to begin to prepare for this year’s AP exams. I also still have essential extracurricular responsibilities. I am continuing to work with my team on updating and expanding the website for the New York Youth Civics Initiative as well as growing the organization as a whole. We hope to increase our site viewership numbers, reach out to more students, expand our social media campaigns, and grow our list of affiliated organizations over the next few months. I also have to continue to study for my Science Olympiad events and prepare for the New York City Regionals Competition so that my partners and I can win some medals.

In addition, I hope to have fun these next few months and enjoy the remainder of my high school experience. Life as a second semester is traditionally known as a highlight of one’s teenage years, and though COVID-19 has dramatically changed my original plans, I still hope to make the best of this time. I hope to spend more time with my family and friends, both virtually and in-person, when it is safe—whether that be playing online games together, getting food, or walking around the city on warmer days. I want to find time to celebrate and enjoy the rewards of the past four years before this chapter ends and I find myself in a new environment. Furthermore, I want to spend the next few months mentally and practically preparing for that new college environment by developing useful skills and teaching myself to be more productive, outgoing, and independent.



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


I have already begun to feel the draw of “senioritis,” and I know I have to demonstrate resilience by continuing to put effort into my assignments and submit my work on time. Though it is tempting to embrace the mindset that applications are over and there is no good reason to continue trying, I am confident that continuing to focus on my studies will help me in the long run. That way, I am still in good habits when college begins and do not miss valuable learning opportunities. However, I am simultaneously worried about devoting too much of my time to school and extracurricular activities and failing to have fun this last semester. Due to the nature of online school, it is easy to miss out on memorable activities.

I have concluded that I need to strike a careful balance between work and play over the next few months, and the best way of doing so is through time management. Procrastination and time management have always been some of my greatest struggles, but they are vital if I am to keep up my academic performance while also making time for friends and family. I will have to carve out time to do my schoolwork every day so I do not lose motivation. Additionally, I will have to make sure to get my work done before days off, breaks, or weekends so I can devote that time to enjoyable activities. I also have the bad habit of staying within my comfort zone, and I will have to break it if I am going to become more independent and develop the skills necessary for college life. I have already started to demonstrate resilience in this area by talking to new people and taking initiative in activities like shopping, cleaning, money management, and cooking—skills I will need once I leave my parents’ house.



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


To begin, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to make learning and extracurricular activities more difficult, even though I have adapted after months of remote learning. I am finding it especially challenging to study and compete in Science Olympiad in this virtual setting, because Science Olympiad tests are rooted in collaboration with partners, and I have become used to traditional competitions. However, our team has managed as best we can—in our last invitational competition, instead of taking our tests seated next to our partners in the classroom, we took the tests online while on FaceTime. This situation exemplifies how I have grown more flexible and innovative because of the pandemic. Also, as I previously mentioned, COVID has limited the amount of traditional senior activities at school and made it challenging to see friends or make senior memories in general. However, just because it is different or more difficult does not mean it is impossible—I just have to take initiative and make a more conscious effort to spend time with my friends and commemorate our senior year.

Finally, the world around me has challenged my ability to prepare for college and independent life because I feel, in some ways, emotionally stunted, frozen in my pre-pandemic routine, and unprepared for the next chapter of my life. I realize that I have missed out on many of the traditional experiences that help upperclassmen prepare for college. I also think that I have missed out on a lot of high school closure, such as my last volleyball season as co-captain. Again, I know I have to actively focus on developing skills for independent life and mentally, emotionally, and practically maturing before I head off to college so that I can have a smooth transition. The extra time I have due to COVID has also been helpful in some ways, because it gives me more time to spend with my family before going away. Additionally, I have gotten more opportunities to research my potential schools, so I can make the right choice once I receive the rest of my decisions.