Assignment

You know when you are doing an assignment or a paper, sometimes it takes you a long time to complete it because ideas is not flowing the way you want it to be. Other times, ideas just keeps on flowing like water and in the end you get a completed essay in a time span of below 2 hours. That is when you know that you are being productive. I think I successfully completed my finished product and I think that it is the best paper I ever written. I actually put in a lot of thought into this paper. I decided to post this paper on my blog because well, I am gonna graduate and I am sad that I am leaving this place. So here it is: My Miami Journey As I am typing this essay, I hear a Miami tour guide giving prospective students introducing King Library and giving a 30-minute snapshot of Miami campus. He tells them that Miami would be the right decision for them because of its abundant opportunities and advanced studying facilities. As graduation is approaching, I took a moment to reflect upon this semester and how my college experience has impacted my life. Throughout this semester, I have been constantly improving on my five self-attributes: sales ability, negotiating skills, public speaking and presentation, people management skills and attention to details. In terms of sales ability, I introduced myself to Executive Speakers such as Tom Padgett and Bob Moritz. For our group project, I took the initiative to help out my group members by researching additional information about Subprime Mortgage current issues. My negotiating skill improved as I established a two-way communication with my fellow members. I always encourage feedback or inputs from them so that we can work collaboratively as a team. Besides that, I am gradually improving on my public speaking skills. This semester, I presented in front of the class and answered the audience’s questions. During class discussion, I am always asking questions or giving good inputs to enhance the learning experience. Also, I completed my goal of reading the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Furthermore, I am paying more attention to details by taking down good notes in class. Before each class, I make sure that I print out the Power Points slides for me to take additional notes. After doing the time-management survey test, I ranked above average in time management skills. As a Student Manager in Alexander Dining Hall, I work 18 hours a week along with taking a full load of classes. As I have a long day filled with classes and work, I always plan my day out to help me accomplish more and feel more in control of my life. I use my Miami Memo to remind me of the things that I need to get done beforehand. Before I go to sleep, I will also have a to-do list and put the most important tasks at the top. I will make sure that I will spend my time wisely by accomplishing my goals the next day. If I have a free schedule, I will strategize myself in getting assignments done for the future. For example, I will read articles on Blackboard that is due two weeks later, take down notes on the next chapter or complete my assignments. If I am taking a break from studying, I will maximize my time by checking emails and replying them. Having a balanced time management helps me to minimize conflicts and last-minute rushes. Personal Finance Plan is as important to me as time-management skills. My parents are financing my tuition expenses and I work part-time to earn income. I use what I earn to finance my own expenses. Working at the Student Credit Union helps me to understand the importance of personal finance. Every month, I set up a budget expense to forecast on my spending amount. My budget will consist of threshold expense amount. This process helps me ensure that I do not overspend. At the end of the month, I reconcile my account balance with my expenses to ensure that I am spending within budget. Besides that, I always try to minimize my credit card expenses. To improve on my credit score, I remember to pay my credit card bill at the end of every month. If my account is balanced, I will reward myself by eating out or buying Graters ice-cream. On the other hand, if I overspend that month, I will minimize my spending to make sure that I am back in balance again the next month. Miami University offers a diverse variety of classes for students to learn more about their passions. My top five favorite classes at Miami are COM 135, MGT 415, BLS 437, ACC 456 and THE 123. I would recommend taking COM 135, Introduction to Public Speaking, because it helps nurture students to speak with confidence and become better public speakers. This class also equips students with useful techniques to help them deliver better speeches. MGT 415, Marketing to Organization is another class that has impacted me because Dr. Coley challenges her students to think out-of-the box with a lot of a class discussions. For this class, we were assigned a real-world project to improve Cintas’ supply chain department. During the final presentation, I met with Cintas’ top ranked executive officers. As for BLS 437, Ethics, Law and Business, it teaches students the application of morality in the marketplace and how to apply them in real-life situations. I would rank ACC 456, The Accounting Profession, as my favorite Accounting class because it has equipped me with useful knowledge to better prepare myself for this profession. For me, this class is a unique experience because it is a stepping stone towards being a professional individual in a workplace environment. Students are able to share their internship experience and provide good input to make this a positive learning experience. THE 123, Acting for the Non-Major is my favorite class because our group projects consists of working together with everybody in the class. We collaborated and support each other as a group. For our final project, I will be presenting my acting scene in front of an audience. These classes are my favorite because it appeals to my learning experience that could be applied to the real world. As a business major, my most significant class that I have taken at Miami would be COM 135, Introduction to Public Speaking. This class was memorable because for my first speech, I was so nervous that I forgot my entire speech. To make matters worse, I decided not to use note cards, so I had no material to help me. The ten seconds that I stood in front of the room felt like the longest moment of my life. I was so embarrassed that I walked out of the room. Luckily, the professor understood my situation and he encouraged me to try again. I presented for the second time, and this time I successfully did it. For each following presentation, I followed the professor’s guidance and gradually improved on my public speaking skills. Towards the end of the class, I was awarded most improved speaker by my classmates. This class has helped me overcome my fears of public speaking to become an effective public speaker. During my time at Miami, I attended many speakers because I wanted to learn more about their work, life and job opportunities in their company. Doug Batista of Nestle talks about how he went out of his comfort zone transitioning from a Director of Marketing into an Accountant. He mention how he is able to adapt to a new environment and how this experience strengthen him as leader. Last year, my Audit class lecture was impactful because Dr. Ballou advices students to seek out good mentors. Be proactive and do not be afraid to ask someone in the office that you aspire to be to be your mentor. A good mentor is important because it helps you navigate your career and you are able to follow in their footsteps. Gen. Colin Powell’s lecture topic was “Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trust and Values”. The most interesting part of his lecture is when he describes how a leader should put his followers in the best environment. He talks about how leaders should possess integrity and motivation to succeed. Another lecture that I thought was important is that we should always give back to society. Before I came to Miami, I realized that I depended on my parents a lot. Studying abroad made me more independent, responsible and better at time-management. Furthermore, I have become more focused on my work. Before coming to Miami, I would categorize myself as an introvert. My experience here has helped me to branch out of my comfort zone and become more sociable with people. Furthermore, I have build up my leadership experience working as a Student Manager at Alexander Dining Hall, being the Treasurer of the Asian American Association, and VP of Depository of First Miami Student Credit Union. Now, I am a more analytical by thinking out-of-the box for innovative ideas. The five attributes that will be valuable for my full-time position would be people management skills, critical-thinking skills, teamwork, proactivity and determination to succeed. To be an effective leader, I need to be able to manage people effectively. I need to make sure that my actions are consistent with my core values and standards. Critical thinking is important because this attribute will help me make key business decision-making that will reflect my career, organization and most importantly my family. I constantly need to learn how to challenge the process by enabling others to act. I must also be proactive because I need to be able to make things happen under conditions of uncertainty. As I enter my full-time position, I constantly need to be a team player and work collaboratively with my colleagues to achieve the desired result. Besides that, I need to be determined in my work so that I can progress upwards in the organization. I need to search for opportunities to innovate, grow and improve to be a successful leader. College is a transition from high school to and becoming an adult. You should spend time to make new friends, in your dorms, organizations or even in your classes. I wished that someone would have told me as an incoming freshman to get to know more people in my major. Having group project helps to build relationship, but venture out and meet new people. Also, when there is an exam or assignment due, you need to set your priorities straight and do what is necessary. Having a balance is between friends and schoolwork is important. Enjoy what this college has to offer, including new experiences, classes and being away from home. If you are in my shoes, you will realize that you have only four more weeks of school left. I realized now that I want to spend my last weeks with my closest friends because pretty soon we will not be able to meet at one place again. My words of wisdom for someone who wants advice will be to choose a major that will define your passion. Condoleeza Rice quote, “Once you find your true passion, pursue it because you will accomplish something that you love.” You should not choose a career with the highest pay because money does not guarantee happiness. If you love what you are doing, you will be motivated to do your job right. Another word of advice that I would give other students is to just be who you are. For once, try to accept you who are because this is a gift from God. Having a large group of friends and fitting in is not what’s important. What matters is a few close friends who you will know will be with you throughout your journey. Four years do fly by so quickly and then “poof” I am out in the real world. In four weeks, I will be graduating with my degree and starting my own career path. I am sad that I will be leaving this wonderful place. Though I am unsure of what my future career would be like, I am confident my Miami experience will help me embrace every challenge with great desire and passion. There is a Chinese proverb that says, “Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened”. As I am writing this paper, I am picturing myself smiling wearing my red gown walking up the aisle and receiving my official certificate. I smile because I know that my time here at Miami is well-spent because of the memories and impactful experiences that I have made in four years of my life.