Personal Growth

Finals are beginning in a little over two weeks.  That means that my first year in the Open Program is coming to a close.  And while the stress of meeting deadlines and studying for exams are looming over my head, I can still take a moment to step back and truly appreciate the experiences I've had in the past year.  This program has really helped me learn who I am as a student as well as a who I am as a person.  I think I have really pushed my limits over the past year.  It was really a hard transition for me to be able to let of my old fixed mindset.  I now realize that my grades don't define who I am, and that only I can decide how much I really take away from my classes.  That being said I don't think I have completely abandoned my fixed mindset.  Grades still mean a lot to me, and while they don't define who i am as a person, I am a firm believer that they do help define my future.  Maybe I will never fully let go this half and half kind of mindset, but I have made a lot of progress from the person who I was at the beginning of the year.  And I think that's what really matters.