Final Projects: Your small group.

At this point in the term on Planet College final projects are coming due. The individual projects may contain a report to the class. By now you may have handled a few of these and know your way through. If you are working with a group however every class, term or project presents a new set of challenges. Primarily the challenge is developing the presentation and completing it on time. This is tough enough on your own, with two, three or more other students it can be nearly impossible. The problem? The other students. You, of course, have done your part. Has everyone else? If you learn that another student in your group has not contributed their portion of the work you may have some choices. First at the next meeting of your group discuss the options available. Can the remaining student's fill in the missing part? If this is possible offer to discuss with the instructor completing your parts during the regularly scheduled time slot. She will probably appreciate your efforts and may assign a fair grade accordingly.

You are not your SAT score.

We are a culture fascinated possibly even obsessed by numbers, statistics, rankings and scores. Student life contains an exceptional amount of this. You probably already have your student ID number along with your driver's license number and your social security number. Even GPA, the quantification of your current value as a student, is summed up in a number.
Every system has its benefits. Summing up according to a number is a handy way of sorting and assigning a large group of students. Every system has it's liabilities. Most average students on Planet College understand they are more than the various numbers which have been assigned to them. This is over all true except for the lingering influence of one statistic, your SAT. The value of SAT scores is often a continuing influence on the life of a student. Your score may have said you couldn't get in to the "right" school. It may even be influencing your choice of a major.

While some enlightenment has occurred regarding the actual significance of an SAT score its influence continues to affect many students on Planet College.

This is regrettable. While the score can not be changed, your attitude concerning it can. Reflect now. Remember the day you took the SAT? Are you the same person you were that day. Definitely not. An uncountable array of experiences have occurred since that day. Some have been enlightening, some have been encouraging but over all you have negotiated and at least survived all of them. These experiences and your handling of them have contributed to your development not only as a student but also as a person. Although right now the focus is on student it is wise to remember that you have come this far through your skills and developing talents as a person. Fortunately there is no number that can quantify that. But recognize now that you are more than any number, even your SAT.

Lets go watch the rabbits.

A large busy community college located on the West Coast has grassy areas scattered through out the campus. Some time back, no one remembers when, rabbits took up residence in the bushes which surround one of these meadows. As rabbits do, they multiplied and now a busy community of rabbits can be seen frolicking around the grass. Students often sit or lay on the grass, reading, eating studying, sleeping but sometimes just watching the rabbits. Watching rabbits doesn't necessarily enhance the students' abilities in class or on the athletic field but still it is a popular pastime, in fact ,practically a tradition at this school. And that is just the point. Not every endeavor at college needs to result in something. And many schools have memorable if pointless pastimes. Watching the rabbits at this school is a memorable part of the student's experience. On your campus there are probably a few pointless traditions and pastimes. If you haven't indulged in one or more of these do so. You wouldn't want to graduate with out at least having spent some of your time watching the rabbits.

SI

SI is supplemental instruction. Many schools have such instruction for courses which many students often have difficulty. Chemistry, Statistics, College Writing the list eventually became almost as extensive as the course catalogue. SI is usually provided by a student, often a graduate student, who has shown proficiency in the course. Usually the requirement for an SI instructor is to have gotten and A in that same course. If you are struggling with a course or if you are unsure of your capacity to pass the course SI could be useful. Look for SI instruction list in your campus learning center or tutoring center. Often SI course are available in your school's schedule of classes. Although it may be too late in the term to enroll in the SI course you may be able to receive individual help. SI, get all the help you can.

But my boss is an idiot.

Work can be tough sometimes and having an unreasonable boss doesn't help. Most experienced Planet College students have had several jobs while financing their college careers. Along the way most have also had a difficult boss, supervisor or owner. No matter what the position there always seems to be at least one difficult person who has authority or is in control. The forms of unreliability or difficulty are many; clearly favoring one worker over another, issuing conflicting instructions, unreasonable expectations, even perfectionism, for the time available. You've probably seen it and can expand this list.

This can only be frustrating. Especially when you really need this job. And who doesn't?
What to do? Well, first of all quitting, is rarely an option. It is tempting when you are doing your best and it just doesn't seem good enough, at least according to your supervisor.

A little perspective often helps. Recognize it for what it is. A job you need - well OK- a pay check you need now. This job, at least this company, is a lot more important to your supervisor than it is to you. She probably has a great deal invested in her position. This means that being right is real important to her.

So. The solution? Agree. That is it. Just go along and be agreeable. For now realize that this is not the last stop of your career. (And for your cranky bos? It probably is the last stop of her career.)Your opportunities are expanding as you work toward your degree. Keep this in mind for the time you are at work.

Meanwhile complaining about work is a time honored tradition among hardworking, stressed-out students. So go ahead. You are permitted. You will find that almost everyone has or has had a difficult, unreasonable or even impossible boss. Go out with friends after work for pizza and soda or even a beer. Make sure you are a safe distance from your work place and complain away. Enjoy getting all that nasty boss work stuff out. And when you leave work. Leave it there. Things change. They always do. And you will be able to call this just another experience. An experience which will equip you to better deal with some future nasty boss down the road. And believe it, they're waiting for you back on Planet Earth.