Life at the University - Case Study Example

LIFE AT THE UNIVERSITY By Student’s Name Code + Course Name Professor’s Name University Name City, State Date A) STAR MODEL. a) Team work: Situation: It was the second month in a row of missing our regular monthly visits to the Centre for the Poor and Orphaned Children in the State of Western Australia. The government had uncharacteristically delayed in releasing student loans that we used to support the noble initiative. The circumstances at the centre had become so dire. Task: The most urgent duty, as members concurred, was to guarantee restoration of normalcy at the rescue centre by ensuring that the supply of basic needs was not only renewed but also made consistent. New ideas came in handy from amongst the members with regard to the new approach. Action: We brainstormed on the most appropriate course of action with several ideas floated but we resorted to organise for a charity walk with the support of the university administration. Result: In two weeks time, we had not only managed to restore the supply of basic commodities at the rescue centre but we had also started an income generating project within the centre – vegetable growing. b) Effective Communication: Situation: Last year was a difficult one for not only us, students, but the university administrations as well. A good number of the university boreholes had dried up and hostels were experiencing acute water shortages. Soon, the students were getting restless, strike looming. Task: Being part of the student leadership, we had to initiate and establish effective communication channels to make the entire university community understand that the administration had taken note of the developments and actually measures had been put in place to alleviate the suffering occasioned by water shortage. Action: On its own initiative, the student leadership met the university administration and agreed that internal memos would be issued on daily basis to keep the students informed on the progress made towards addressing the challenge. Result: We managed to restore calm within the students’ fraternity and got everyone to be patient as the university addressed the water crisis. Normalcy was restored within a one month’s period without having to disrupt studies. c) Initiative and Creative Problem Solving: Situation: When Greener Earth Initiative approached us in 2014 during the University’s open day they were a distraught lot. The local community, mostly pastoralists, had encroached forest reserves for firewood – the main source of domestic fuel. Task: The conservationists requested us to come up with a viable solution that would stop the local community from their acts of deforestation on the few acres of indigenous forest. Action: After exploring a number of possible solutions, we agreed that the main cause of deforestation by the locals was to source for firewood. We resolved to offer alternate source of energy that would be acceptable to all. Result: We designed and implemented ten massive biogas projects with the help of cheap labour from the locals, with cow dung, which was in plenty, being the source of fuel. The community was not only excited about the new source of cheap and clean fuel but also offered to help in reforestation activities. B) REFLECTIVE REVIEW OF MY FIRST YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY No, doubt that people go to the University for varying reasons (Smith & Erwin, 2014). Expectations from parents and the society at large vary considerably and can at timely be quite unsettling. Parents’ offers the unfailing and unconditional love as you take the bold steps into your future whereas the professors challenge you to better your already best. On the other hand friends offer the much needed moral support especially as you struggle to fit in the new academic and social setting (St. Marys University, 2015). Personally, I had a deep seated longing to meet the most learned fellows in our society – the professors. Back in my village, I used to hear people say that it is only in the university where the biggest chunk of super intellectuals can be found per unit area! I could only imagine of the weird looks or funny waking styles, exhibited by these academicians. On more occasions that I can actually recall, I had heard my peers refer to this cadre of extraordinary human beings as ‘academic wizards’. They say the university is in itself overly massive; what a better opportunity to verify these assertions than being part of the selected few in the exquisite university premises yourself, remarks Moboloji (2013). Together with several hundreds of my colleagues, we spent the first one week being introduced to the university. We were supplied with all manner of literature to guide our mode of conduct as students and also to help us ground ourselves socially and morally in midst of the diverse cultural backgrounds. All manner of presentations by the university staff as well as invited dignitaries were made to prepare us for the imminent journey ahead of us. Our Agricultural Department had already organised orientation tours led by the final year students to all the resource centres we would use during our college sojourn. Finally, we were taken around the rest of the university faculties as well as departments in a period of two days. The activity was capped by a fatherly address by the university chancellor – a short grey-haired professor of mathematics. I remember my first days very well when I struggled with everything starting with locating books in the library. The coding systems were rather complex and everyone seemed to mind their own business. I felt isolated and well out of place. I wondered how long it would take to effectively put up with the new academic set up that seemed so hostile to newcomers. Luckily, I quickly worked my communication as well as my interpersonal skills. As days went by, I realized the initiative had actually materialized and consequently enabled me to seek assistance from colleagues when the need arose. Soon I was able to use the library with much ease and consequently ground my studies. Now, the first year is coming to an end and I’m happy that I‘ve not only grown academically but also socially. I’ve enjoyed my lectures as much specifically the technical drawings that used to be very scaring and draining at first. I’ve enjoyed presenting my work in different dimensions and I’m sure this will come in handy in my future career. My life has also grown socially. With English not being my first language, I must admit that I actually struggled much during the early days. C) PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN AIMS ACTIONS RESOURCES MEASUREMENT REVIEW & TIME SCALE a) Learn to prepare and present technical drawings using AutoCAD. Schedule a minimum of two hours daily to hone these skills; consult with my lecturer at least once a week. Personal computer with the AutoCAD software installed; video tutorials. Be able to handle a variety online tutorials with much ease – 60% correctly. Attempt online tutorials at the end of every month. b) Improve on my calculus grades. Set aside one hour every evening to attempt tutorial; consult my lecturer at least once per week. Text books on calculus. Comfortably handle problems/tutorials based on calculus – 70% correctly. Undertake assessment tests at least once per month. c) Work on my entrepreneurial skills. Read literature on entrepreneurship at least four hours a week. Books/Literature on entrepreneurship. Effectively turn around my struggling venture of rabbit keeping – from loss to at least 10% profit. Monitor the progress of my enterprise on monthly basis. d) Hone my leadership skills. Join a leadership club within the university; read literature on leadership. Books/Literature based on effective leadership. Vie and at least join the student council of representatives in one year’s time. At least make a public presentation on students’ emerging issues once every two months. e) Stay healthy and keep fit. Avoid junk food; Exercise for 30 minutes at least twice per week. Swimming pool – Join the university club. Regular weight check up – should not go beyond 65Kgs. Check weight at the end of every three months. References Mobolaji, M, J, 2013, Life at the University, University of Toronto, Canada Smith, L, M, & Erwin, Z, 2014, Assuming Roles and Responsibilities at the University, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank Sheffield, UK St. Marys University, 2015, Life Lessons at the University, St. Marys University, UK Read More