Free Write WK 2

Summary of principles:
Our lesson objectives for the week are to identify the gospel perspective on learning and to identify and apply skills for adjusting to college.

To summarize from the book Major Decisions-Chap1 & 3:
Chap 1 talks about the value of education especially for us as LDS. Because of the value of education we can count on Divine guidance to help us out. We need to take the opportunities to learn all we can in many different areas. Education will help us not only in this life but the next. It will enhance our abilities to serve the Lord and our fellowmen. Heavenly Father will direct our paths and get us the education we need and put the people in our paths that will help us succeed in the way both needed for ourselves and others.

Chap 3 talks about High Stakes judgments. Because of globalization, one person can impact the entire world for either good or bad. The degree of HSJ decisions we are capable of making can determine our success and pay scale. Understanding what decisions are HSJ can direct our career path in the most profitable way. They have to do with amount of risk, amount of time to train, and working with people rather than inanimate objects. Some HSJ jobs don't pay as well financially such as teachers, volunteers, and parents. We should always work to increase our HSJ capabilities. Good HSJ decisions require 3 things: analysis skills, people skills and moral sense. College helps us develop the skills to make good HSJ decisions.

The process of adjustment:
When we embark on new experiences in our lives there is a process of adjustment. That also applies to starting college. Those stages are the Honeymoon period, Culture shock, Initial adjustment, Mental Isolation, and finally Acceptance & Integration. Recognizing and giving ourselves Time to go through that process is a key factor.

What I learned:
I think the thing that had the most impact on me this week is recognizing that I am really going through a process of adjustment in my life right now. Not only with starting college, but I have just changed marital status and am joining the world of singles. I am living in a new city which has also changed my living style from more country to city living. I am in a new ward & developing new friendships. I am also just starting to actively promote my sewing business and having some success which also brings fitting all of that into my daily routine. Basically there is very little of my life that is the same as it was a year ago.
I think the process of writing down my own personal case study and reflecting on the stages of the adjustment process has helped me tremendously. Even in class as I was sharing I was being helped with the process. I can recognize aspects of all the first 4 stages of the process in my life right now. There are even changes from the first of the week to now. I also feel a little more relaxed and have made the decision to not worry about getting a part time job until I have moved more of my current life in to the stage of Acceptance & Integration. I would however take on a job if it was dropped in my lap. It is okay to take time with the process.
Another thing that has really helped was the reading in Major Decisions about how even if our lives don't necessarily go in the direction we had planned that Heavenly Father is there directing and we will be taken care of, we will get the education we need, and we will meet the people that are supposed to come into our lives both for our benefit and the benefit of others. I do very much feel guided in my life right now and am feeling a little more faith in the process.