My Journey to the University - Essay Example

Reflective Writing Introduction Reflection is an important process of learning (Harton & Smith, 1995). The ability to reflect allows one to reconsider their actions and decisions and it informs better choices in decision making and problem solving as indicated by Rolfe, Freshwater & Jasper, (2001). This report seeks to highlight three levels of reflective writing namely descriptive, descriptive-reflective and critical reflection on my journey to the University this morning. My Journey Text A- Descriptive My Journey to the University to the University began with a mad dash through my morning routine. Normally I would wake up at five o’clock in order to ensure that I have sufficient time to prepare and drive myself to school by 7:30 am for my classes which begin at 8:00 am. For this morning however, the alarm was a whole one and a half hours late, which meant I had to skip some of my chores such as preparing a heavy breakfast, checking my mail, watering my living room plants, straightening my beddings and doing a quick cleanup of the kitchen and living areas. Having taken a shower, brushing my teeth, ironing my clothes for the day, arranging my books for the day’s lessons and rechecking if I had my ipod and laptop with me, I was off to the garage for my car ready for school. Reaching the garage, I realized I had forgotten the keys to the garage and I had to run back into the house for them. My entry to the living room was met with the whistling of my electric kettle, which I had forgotten to turn off due to the rush I was in to get to school in time. Quickly, I turned off the electric kettle and set off to the garage for my car. I reversed down the driveway and drove into the main road and headed off to the University. Since my exit from home was late, I was caught up in the morning rush-hour traffic jam. To tune out the noise of the revving engines and the blasting car horns, I tuned into my favorite radio station. A knock on the side of the car window by a beggar startled me, making me roll the window up and driving off. In my rear view mirror, I watched as the man who had moments before knock on my car window cross over the road and talk to a man standing by the roadside. After a long, frustrating thirty five minutes, I found my way into parking area at the University. On my way up the stairways to the lecture halls with the earphones in my ears listening to some old time country music, I met with Wendy, a long- time friend of mine and even though she seemed eager to tell me something, I hurriedly said good morning, pecking her on the cheek as I wished her a good day and promised her I will call her after the classes for a cup of coffee. I am not particularly fond of entering the classroom late and especially when I am late for Professor X’s classes. Professor X is a disciplinarian and he does not take kindly to lateness and those who tend to come to his classes late, they have found themselves regretting their lack of punctuality owing to the harsh words they get from him. As luck could have it, upon entry into the Lecture hall, I found that Mr. X had gone momentarily outside the hall for a personal call. Without wasting any time, I swiftly got myself a chair and set out my books for the lecture. Text B- Descriptive reflective My journey to the University today morning was not like the journeys I usually make coming to the University. In ordinary mornings, I would wake up five in the morning ready to start my morning routine which entails preparing a heavy breakfast, checking my mail, watering my living room plants, straightening my beddings and doing a quick cleanup of the kitchen and living areas. In addition, taking a shower, brushing my teeth, ironing my clothes for the day and more importantly arranging my books for the day’s lessons. Today morning was different, I was an hour and a half late, which can only be explained by resetting of the alarm by my nine year old nephew who has been living with me for his holiday. In a haste to run off to the University, I had forgotten garage keys and I had to return to the house to pick them and in the process, i found my electric kettle boiling. Having ensured everything was in order including my ipod, books and the laptop and drove off on my way to school. The lateness had its consequences, I was not only late for the morning classes but I was stuck for more than thirty five minutes in the traffic jam. I remember speaking to myself aloud wondering why I did not on the previous night, prior to going to bed, verify the alarm clock was set at the right time. Rechecking an alarm clock, a simple task that takes less than a minute could have saved me a lot of trouble, anxiety and haste, which if not kept under control could be disastrous such as running someone over with the car in my bid to get into the class in time. Sitting impatiently in my car amid the traffic noise and the sound from my favorite radio station, I wondered why I had not taken the train to school rather than the car. The train could have taken lesser time and it could have been cheaper for me since I had to fuel my car. As my mind contemplated all this, a knock on the side of my car window by a beggar startled me, making me roll the window up and driving off. In my rear view mirror, I watched as the man who had moments before knock on my car window cross over the road and talk to a man standing by the roadside. After a long, frustrating thirty five minutes, I found my way into parking area at the University. I was running up the stairways to the lecture halls with the earphones in my ears listening to some old time country music, never mind why I was listening to music when I was in no mood to listen to music. When should someone listen to music? When they want to relax, run or meditate? Why would I be listening to slow paced music like country music while am literally running? If I were to listen to music in such a time, should I not be listening to fast paced music such as rock and roll to match my state of mood and state of situation at that time? It beats sense I should say. Anyway, as I ran up the stairs I met with Wendy, a long- time friend of mine, whom I had schooled with back in high school and she happened to be a close family friend. Even though Wendy seemed eager to tell me something owing to her attempts to stop me after every step I made, I hurriedly said good morning to her, pecking her on the cheek as I wished her a good day and promised her I will call her after the classes for a cup of coffee. She gave me a half-hearted good bye and as I was about to leave, she made sure I heard her say, she really wanted to talk with me and that I should make sure, I meet with her as soon as possible. If there is one class lesson I am very particular in arriving early to, it is Professor X’s classes. Professor X is a disciplinarian, no-none sense, tough to please lecturer, who makes it his business to reprimand in harsh words anyone who dare arrive at his classes late regardless of the reasons for the lack of punctuality. As I approached the lecture hall, I contemplated whether I should enter the class and face the Professor or I should simply go to the library and wait for the class to end since I was already late. Being one that does not back down, I hesitantly entered the lecture hall. As luck could have it, upon entry into the Lecture hall, I found that the Professor had gone momentarily outside the hall for a personal call. Without wasting any time, I swiftly got myself a chair and set out my books for the lecture and as I sat waiting for the Lecturer, I thought to myself, maybe all was not lost after all. Text C- Critical Reflection On a usual school day, I wake up at five in the morning in readiness for the day. The day usually starts off with a morning routine that entails preparing a heavy breakfast, checking my mail, watering my living room plants, straightening my beddings and doing a quick cleanup of the kitchen and living areas. In addition, taking a shower, brushing my teeth, ironing my clothes for the day and more importantly arranging my books for the day’s lessons to ensure I do not miss writing lecture notes. The morning clean up has been essential part of my daily schedule since it ensures I have a clean home to come back to at the end of a long day in school. It has never occurred to me that I can still perform these chores prior to going to bed. This is because, if I were to do so, it could have saved me a lot of anxiety and rush that I experienced as part of my morning journey to the University. On my drive to the University, I was caught up in the morning rush hour traffic and as much as I could try to maneuver the traffic snarl up, I could not manage to get out of it in time. As I sat in my car amid all the chaos, traffic noise and the impatience, I thought to myself as I listened to my favorite radio station that maybe taking a drive to school was not such a bright idea. Taking a train could have saved me more time and enable me to reach in school in time and save me money which I was to spend on fuelling my car. Amid all these thoughts, a knock on the side of my car window by a beggar startled me, making me roll the window up and driving off. In my rear view mirror, I watched as the man who had moments before knock on my car window cross over the road and talk to a man standing by the roadside. It should have hit me then but it did not, that the man I had presumed to be a beggar may be he was not. He could be a man seeking help, a new visitor in town seeking directions to a place, a man who has just been released out of prison and he need some few coins for either a bus ride to his home or for a bite to eat, he could be anyone other than a beggar. Should I have reacted differently? Was I too quick to dismiss him as a beggar? Even if he was a beggar, was I right in shutting him off? Were my reactions as a result of insecurity that has spread across our streets or was it informed by media reports of people who roam the streets seeking money to feed their drug problems? Whatever informed my reactions, next time someone knocks on my car window regardless of what they look like, I should not forget to be humane and give him an ear before dismissing them. If therefore I should be keen to listen to others, my morning encounter with Wendy should have gone differently. On my way up the lecture halls, I met Wendy who is a close friend of mine and because of the rush I was in, I did not give her sufficient time to tell me what she wanted to say despite the eagerness I heard in her voice and eyes to do so. She could have been eager to tell me that her volleyball team, of which she is the captain had made to the finals or she could have received a confirmation for her tour in Africa, which she had been waiting for so long. Was I too involved in my own world and issues to consider others? Whatever it is, I should be careful to mind others regardless of what am engaged in, especially if what am engaged in is not a matter of life and death. I finally did make it to the Lecture hall without any incidents and as luck could have it, I did not get harsh words from the Professor, who does not take kindly to lateness. References Hatton, N. & Smith, D. 1995. 'Reflection in teacher education: Towards definition and implementation', Teaching and Teacher Education, vol. 11, no.1, pp. 33-49. Rolfe G, Freshwater D & Jasper M. 2001. Critical reflection for nursing and helping professionals: A user's guide. New York: Palgrave. Read More