We
strive for excellence only to be met with failure many times. Certain
failures might not be academic ones, but they can be relationship
ones, occupational ones, and/or even organizational ones. In the end,
our skills will be all that is left of this. My current skills that I
earned through LinkedIn Learning include Effective Listening,
Microsoft Office 365 Excel, and Bystander Training: From Bystander to
Upstander.
Losing
skills affects said people’s “educational investments,”
as they depreciate and degenerate over time poignantly and pointedly
or gradually and incrementally (Warnke 6). For example, teachers are
always necessary, as millions must be employed and working throughout
the country and throughout the world. Recruitment begins in college,
where students are expected to take certain courses, or endorsements,
as well as going through the B.A. or B.S. and the M.Ed. Teachers
attend meetings and go through special training (e.g. for SOLs in
Virginia and AP exams for teachers belonging to any state).
Now,
let us talk a little bit about my education: I want to be many
things: poetic, sagacious, and idiosyncratic, as my website fully
attests to. It isn’t easy, though. I want to excel in as many
avenues and fields as possible but defeat and failure are sometimes
creeping by my doorstep. I am glad that I have been doing half
electives and half English courses each semester during my time at
Mason. Balance is perfection. In Fall 2019, I did two English classes
and two electives. In Spring 2020, I did two English classes and two
more electives. In Summer 2020, I did one English class and one
Spanish class. In Fall 2021, my last semester, I will be doing 3
English classes and one UNIV course. In Fall 2020, I did three
English classes and 2 History classes. Anyway, close enough. I am a
perfectionist. It has taken me seemingly forever to get this far into
my degree program due to my two inconsecutive gap years. I am excited
that I will have more free time, after finishing my university
courses.
I
am honestly hoping and praying to God that our student loan debts can
be forgiven by $10,000 per student. That is my long-cherished desire.
Whether the Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Schumer accomplish
this, or the House of Representatives accomplish this under Speaker
of the House Nancy Pelosi, that isn’t important to me. I just
want it to happen. Pres. Biden and Vice President Harris have
expressed that they would do so, as the Progressive platform wants it
to happen. However, they obviously have a full plate, juggling
Covid-19 relief efforts, immigration reform, and reforms for every
other sector of society, as well. It would be an injustice or a
disservice if I said that I cannot handle my student loan debt by
myself. I can, I know. But, who ever said a little help hurts? It
doesn’t, and it shouldn’t. I know my God-given value.
I
know I have to live up to my ancestors’ expectations, as well
as my immediate family’s expectations. Both my brothers have
graduated from George Mason each with a Bachelor’s degree. The
eldest, Owin, is thinking of going back to school for grad school to
become a therapist. He lives on the other side of the country in
California, and I am really glad that he wants more out of life and
more to offer to others. The impacts of Covid-19 seem to be more
pronounced where he is in L.A. I don’t want to be less of a
brother to him, so I want to be a good texter and communicator to
him, not only talking about myself.
I
want to gradually tackle the assignments listed on my courses’
syllabi. Yet, I need to work part-time while taking classes. I just
recently had a client who was a joke. He said that he plays piano for
his church, but he was way too inquisitive about my church, saying
how I can make my own decisions as an adult. He does not agree with
my church’s teachings. We only did a 30-minute free demo
lesson, and it was unfruitful. We played “Amazing Grace”
and “10,000 Reasons”, but it just was unsuccessful due to
his prying eye into my religious affairs. Another client has reached
out to me, so I’m hoping that that demo lesson will be more
productive.
In
any regard, we need schools, whether physical buildings of
educational institutions, houses of worship, or piano studios. If we
did not have elementary school, we would have even more serious
issues in our society, as early childhood development proves to
provide focalized attention for, and retention of, abilities. Warnke
and Desjardins argue that fluid intelligence declines “already
in early adulthood,” which goes contrary to the preconceived
notion that adults are capable and sophisticated people in general.
Crystalized intelligence is used to compensate for the lack of skills
in fluid intelligence (Warnke and Desjardins, 2012, p. 9 cited
Baltes, 1987). Fluid intelligence means to be able to think and
reason abstractly, whereas crystallized intelligence is formed
through reading, studying, and learning new things. Both concepts are
important facets of psychology. Dementia and Alzheimer’s are
implicitly noted as being reasons why older people suffer under the
oppressiveness of ageing (13-14). Being nurtured and taught is
important for the development and pursuit of academic excellence,
occupational freedom and flexibility, and overall happiness and
well-being (15). The family proves to be essential to these varying
dynamics and interacting elements. Changes in society can also impact
these pursuits and developments: “the 1990s technological
revolution” and “improvements to living conditions,
sanitation and nutrition” (16).
Similarly,
in Writer’s Market 2020, we are told to follow
certain
guidelines, tips, and skillsets: “Write well, but be concise,”
“post relevant content,” “figure out your blogging
goals,” and “link to posts in other media” (Brewer
66). These tips are mostly applicable to bloggers, and I am a
blogger. So, it works out well enough. I blog on Quora, Instagram,
LinkedIn, and Goodreads, in addition to having three websites (two of
which I no longer have access to, due to not knowing the password for
my student Weebly account). I blog about my goals, many of which are
still in the air, as I am pursuing several occupational avenues at
the moment. I, of course, want to perform well in my job, and that
entails having more clients/students. Yet, I also have seen how many
WyzAnt tutors have a primary job, in addition to the tutoring as a
secondary job.
Skills
are necessary, as we are told through promotions on YouTube by
YouTubers who offer discounts to viewers: Skill Share. Anyway, I am a
firm believer in hobbies, as well as professionalized hobbies. For
me, that was made possible through piano practice and recitals.
Works
Cited
Brewer,
Robert L. Writer’s Market 2020. Penguin Random
House:
United States, 2019. pp. 1-
890.
Warnke,
Arne J. and Richard Desjardins. Ageing and Skills: A Review
and
Analysis of Skill Gain and
Skill Loss Over the Lifespan and Over Time. OECD Publishing:
2012. pp. 1-85.
I
am a student at George Mason. I am only
published in three literary magazines at the moment: under my high
school’s literary magazine brand—Ursa Major from Forest
Park High School. I love writing answers on Quora, posts on
Instagram, and reviews on Goodreads.
I used to be the accompanist at my church, but
the building will no longer be used by us due to Covid-19. I am gay,
and that has affected many aspects of my life. I struggle to discern
my identity at times, but I know I like guys at the very least. I
love doing meetings and appointments for health, mental health, and
my university’s offices and organizations. I love tutoring, as
it provides me with a sense of clarity for my own education.
