Goals and Challenges for this Upcoming School Year (Fall 2021)
Preface/Hook:
Summer 2021 has been one to remember, and the momentum gathered in the past months makes me incredibly excited for what lies ahead this fall term. Now before I go into further details regarding what plans and aspirations I have for myself the coming months, I’d like to list out a few of the things I have achieved this summer break of 2021. * Note: I have placed these in the 'footnotes' for outline reasons and to allow for the 'meat’ of the content to be covered.. right now. *Body/Content:
Academic Goals
Grades
Lets begin with discussing the typical benchmark for college performance, Academic Grades. To keep this brief, I have had a few lucky breaks go my way in regards to my overall GPA, but I want to continue the success I have been able to achieve in my academic performances thus far. While I typically uphold a modest tone in my academic achievements, I look to maintain my overall trend of A's across the board in my course load this semester.
Build Upon Existing Relationships & Fostering New Ones
While I have always been told the importance of networking, I never took it (very) seriously. However, with the return to in-person campus life this semester, I want to ensure that I leverage that opportunity to grow my professional network. Moreover, I also learned new LinkedIn outreach strategies via Wonsulting (on YouTube) and I want to put the lessons to practice and employ their tactics in my networking endeavors with high-status individuals that may be able to open up avenues for my professional career.
Work & Professional Experience
Last but not least for my Professional Academic Goals, I look to grow through new work experiences as I have decided to take on more responsibilities this fall term. I look forward to my ‘Student Success Coach’ role in working with underclass students achieve their goals; as it will allow me to test myself if I truly want to explore a possible career in B2B sales - given that this roles involves large amounts of ‘cold’ calling and ‘cold’ email outreach. Secondly, I look to be a ‘Finance TA’ for a professor I did very well in last year in the virtual environment. I believe that it never hurts to TA for a course that is specific to that of my major (Finance). Lastly, I am on the ‘E-board of the Professional Sales Club at ASU’ and I want to explore this avenue to further discover and or confirm if this is the right path for myself. I seem to really like the E-board staff members that I am apart of and I do believe the networking made here can be a lot of fun and be rewarding as well!
Personal/Social Goals
Perform Magic Periodically and For Fun!
After the momentum of performing street magic for strangers this summer, I would like to use my ‘re-discovery’ of magic and perform for other students and individuals at ASU. Now to be honest, there truly is no better opportunity. While the course load and the challenges of balancing multiple plates may begin to pile on along the way, making time to perform will almost always be worth it. Moreover, there is almost always downtime in-between classes, and this time window is a remarkable opportunity to seize. I'll endeavor my best to document the journey and performances along the way too! [Just finding a camera person would be the most challenging part] : )
Maintain Fitness in Some Shape or Manner
Another personal goal that I have been able to work towards during the summer months would be my commitment to allocate time to increase my overall health through exercise. More specifically, boxing was my choice of medium to develop and hone my fitness these past couple of months. With the reality being the deadline to my boxing gym membership back home in Chandler is coming to its close, I will look to other outlets such as jump roping to maintain my cardio plus practice some shadow boxing workouts. The hope is to maintain my form and technique of the craft. Last but not least, tennis is another outlet that I enjoy with friends and that also allows for myself to stay out and about in this 'active lifestyle' I continue look to seek.
Future Outlook
Piano Playing Performances:
Ever since the pandemic, I rediscovered my personal joy for playing the piano. An activity that once felt like a burden, has now led me to play for leisure and for fun. Now I have found more joy doing so than ever before. As I feel more confident and comfortable behind the piano keyboard, I want to face my nerves of performing live in front of people, and I believe the dining hall (Barrett) at my University will allow for me to practice my repertoire live in real time to whoever who may be willing to listen on occasion.
Maintain Posting Here
The last ‘tangible’ Personal Goals set is to maintain (somewhat consistent) on this platform. Anyway I can grow my personal brand, especially online, is a worthwhile investment to make, and that is what I will attempt to do through leveraging this personal webpage. The goal is to publish a piece once a month and promote through my personal media and through other ‘high’ traffic outlets such as Medium, LinkedIn, & Twitter. As far as this goal stands, well.. only time will tell. ^_^
Live in the Moment and Enjoy the Journey (Senior Year)
Sounds Cliché right? Well sure, sort-of…
It is difficult to fathom that I am in the final stretch of my undergrad journey at the University, and I think it would be most meaningful to just soak it all in. While it is easy to feel the weight of the course load and other extracurriculars weigh us college student down, it is still important to find joy in the journey and enjoy the challenge. The mindset of accepting difficulties and challenge is something I look to adopt and often times the most amount of personal growth can be achieved through facing aversity. I always said, college is not the best period of your life, but it only comes to you once. Make the most of this period given. Now is the opportunity to complete this final homestretch of this journey and there is nothing I want to say more than that “I was able to walk across the graduation stage and claim that I had no regrets” as the upcoming next chapter of life will be here before I will know it.
Footer:
Completed successful 12 week summer internship program at global renowned company | Accomplished personal performance magic challenge I set for myself | Elevated fitness through boxing and jumproping | Produced side income by performing magic at a local restaurant on the weekends | Learned new piano music | Trained with a young tennis player looking to make it onto school’s varsity team | Offered a sales job to sell grand pianos within the valley | & I assembled this website too!
