Blog #1

Hey, my name is Kelsey. I'm so happy to be in a program called Honors Mentorship (HMP). It has provided me with an amazing opportunity to further explore the career field I am interested in before going off to college. I am working with a mentor who specializes in information technology. I am hoping to gain much knowledge in this career pathway, and have an overall very positive experience. I would like to learn things that I can apply to my own life right now, such as fixing my own computer problems, rather than relying on the help of IT supporters. I also hope to get a head start on this pathway, so I can be more knowledgeable and experienced when I go to college and apply for jobs.

A quote I would use to sum up my outlook on life is "Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you're riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don't bury your thoughts; put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!" -Bob Marley

As a team-building activity for HMP, we had a Lapdog retreat. Although we weren't 40 feet off the ground on a ropes course, the activities we took part in had key lessons. I learned that sometimes it is better to let others lead, and to give everyone a chance. This is a benefit because being a team player is a very important attribute in life. It is important to be able to work with others well, and the lapdog activities helped me realize the benefits this will provide me with now and in the future. Learning to have patience and cooperation were also benefits of the lapdog experience. We had an activity where all members of a 7 person group were blindfolded except for one leader. Communication played a large role in being able to complete the task. Patience was a benefit I got out of the activity. Working with a group while being blindfolded was stressful and frustrating at times, but in the end, it was all worth it. It helped me to see that waiting things out and having a positive attitude can lead to great results. I learned to trust my leader, and cooperate with my group members. Things go smoothly when everyone cooperates. Overall, Lapdog was filled with many life lessons that will especially help as I finish school and start my career.

Synergy is the working together of two things to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects. An example of synergy I saw at the retreat was during the puzzle-solving activity. By working together, we were more successful as a whole. Some people noticed things that others did not notice. Rather than working on the puzzles as individuals, we were able to use our individual strengths to help others, and complete the puzzle quicker and more effectively.