Interactive Assignments: Social Meeting Exercise

[darlinggarcia]

***Edited with feedback received from Sanjiv on hardcopy

Pre-meeting Notes:

I'm going to be meeting my group right after my 12:00 pm class. I don't know any of my teammates, nor specifically what they look like. I'm nervous because I tend to come awkward or shy when first meeting people. I'm well aware that we are not allowed to speak about class or Sanjiv, so I don't really know where our conversation will lead to.

I got out of class a little bit earlier than what I thought so I decided to go to the library and package myself together, more like think about what I could specifically say.

Meeting Notes:

Our group met in the library, which was very convenient since I live off of campus. I arrived at our meeting soon after Michael, and he made a joke. I learned that both Michael and Eric live off of campus in Narragansett. I felt a bit shy in the beginning and tried to be more of a listener than a speaker. I also learned that while Eric is from out of state, Michael is from Providence. Eric is currently studying supply chain management while Michael is studying finance. During our remarks of majors, I realized Michael recognized me from classes as he asked if I was finance before. I also realized that they both disliked accounting, which I found funny, as most people tell me the same thing. We also spoke a bit about professors, and I told them if they had to take BUS 428, to avoid the professor I had as his grading was very disorganized. All in all, it was great meeting them as they both were kind and easy to open up to.

6 words:
• Avoid- keep away from
• Listener- a person who takes notice of what one says
• Meeting- coming together of two or more people
• Open- communicative
• Shy- being reserved or showing nervousness in the company of other people
• Speaker- a person who says something to convey info, opinion, or a feeling...VOICE

3 dichotomies:
• Avoid; Meeting
• Listener; Speaker
• Shy; Open

Sentences & Paragraphs:
1. When the social exercise was assigned, I was avoiding initial reluctance to this meeting and trying to find a way to avoid it.

With our conversation, I realize our group assignments shall be an easier flow. I can see all of us working hard to contribute. It's quite superb to know that we do not feel any resentment to one another. Moreover, I know that it will be harder to disappoint one another when we all have the knowledge of who we are, so we would prefer to be recognized as influential rather than slothful.

2. I feel as one of my greatest qualities is that I am a listener, but I do know it will be a benefit if I could excel as a speaker; as I will be developing a voice.

Although people always appreciate a great listener, it can come off as unpleasant when that person is not speaking at all. I made sure to keep this in mind throughout the day as I did not want to appear sour. When I noticed myself becoming silent, I recalled the frowning that could lead. This aided in the boost of my conversation to my teammates. With this society that we are building, and with the ease of comfortability with my teammates, I am hoping I will become confident in speaking and perhaps add it to my strengths.

3. I usually come off as shy, so it was rare that I was able to present open communication.

Originally, I assumed I would be neutral to my teammates, but I was wrong. I found both members delightful and easy to strike conversation with. I believe it will be enjoyable working with them this semester. In a way, the more open we become with each other, the better our experiences will be. Now that I can put a face to the words on fishbowl, I know that I must be more diligent and organized with my notes.

[darlinggarcia]

***Edited with feedback received from Sanjiv

Step 1: Opening
Integrated Networking Structures

Step 2: Word Pool
Integrated: United, cohesive, joined, merged, combined, fused, connected
Networking: associating, circulating, mingling, link, meet
Structures: construction, form, shape, foundation, framework, system, design, organization

Step 3: restructuring
Uniting through associating is the foundation.

Step 4: Fe felt Experience
I came from a small city, where everybody knew each other, but that didn’t mean we were friends automatically. Just like any other children, we were all keen to playing with each other. However, in high school certain friendships were well solidified. Most freshmen in my high school associated by city origin and mutual friends. This helped my closest friends and I become united. Even after college and work led us to different paths, we knew we had a strong foundation for our love for one another.

Step 5: 1/2/3
About my work: Honest
About Michael’s work: Productive
About Eric’s work: Insightful

Step 6: AB
Learning, Ignorance

Step 7: Word Pool
Learning- acquisition of knowledge/skills through experience, study, or being taught; master, grasp, enroll, attain, understand, detect, enlightenment, insight
Ignorance- lack of knowledge or info; Incomprehension, inexperience, denseness, foolishness

Step 8: Joint Structure
Defeating foolishness by grasping new experiences.

Step 9: Fe Felt Experience
When arriving at URI, I assumed it didn’t matter if I didn’t like it here, I was only an hour away from my home where all my loved ones are. I was lucky as some of my friends were here at URI. I noticed that during my first year, I was closing myself off and pertaining only to my friends from home. I forced myself to pause this foolish mindset of mine. Eventually I was able to let go of the concept of sticking with the same is best. I was able to grasp a new mindset; one that allowed me to make new friends and experience things I would not have let myself before. To be more specific, I decided to break out of my shell by finally accepting a lunch invitation from a girl who had always tried speaking to me in one of my core classes.

Step 10: 1/2/3
About my work: Opening
About Michael’s work: Willing
About Eric’s work: Motivated

Step 11: Insight and Realization
This assignment differed from the social exercise, which I had originally thought as the most unique one. However, this assignment was far more intricate. When starting this assignment, I did not realize how much I depended on my hometown, but now I no longer depend on it; rather I depend on future experiences. With a new framework of mind, I am able to decrease my ignorance in certain areas, while also developing incomprehension for future experiences. However, I can only master these weaknesses by doing what I have always done, which is associating to become united. This is not just in relation to individuals, but also towards attitudes, places, and possibilities.

[darlinggarcia]

Step 1: Opening
Complex Adaptive Systems

Step 2: Word Pool
Complex- composed of many interconnected parts, characterized by very complicated/involved arrangement of units; complicated, composite, multiplex, entangled, heterogeneous
Adaptive- characterized by the action/process of becoming adjusted; conversion, alterable, adjustable, changeable, flexible, modifiable, variable
Systems- set of things working together as parts of an interconnecting network; structure, organization, order, arrangement, network

Step 3: restructuring
Friendships are denoted as composite, since they coerce us all to become adjustable to different circumstances, thereby enabling us to develop vigorous networks.

Step 4: Fe felt Experience
During my sophomore year, as an education major, I joined Jumpstart. I believed that by joining this organization, it would help me develop better skills with young children and would be great on a resume. The people running the program had grouped us by our similar characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. In my group, there was a total of eight including myself; funny thing was that we each knew only one person in our group. This did not make our introductions any easier, as we had to find other things to bond on. Although we were involved in this large vocal organization, we were all quite timid. By being combined, we had to entangle ourselves within our goals and each other, eventually developing our own structured network. In a way, I feel as this allowed me to be more adjustable to large teams.

Step 5: 1/2/3
About my work: Alterable
About Michael’s work: Flexible
About Eric’s work: Analytical

Step 6: AB
Entangled, Elastic

Step 7: Word Pool
Entangled - involve someone in complicated circumstances from which it is difficult to escape
Implicate, mire, embroil

Elastic - able to encompass variety & change
Flexible, adaptable, compliant, accommodating

Step 8: Joint Structure
Although we often find ourselves embroiled in complicated situations, we must allow our minds to encompass adaptability.

Step 9: Fe Felt Experience
Before my junior year started, I was still working on the campus Dunkin Donuts. After two years there, the job became more and more irritating. However, it was nothing that my friends and I were not used to. What finally clicked, was when there was new management and our hours were cut. Eventually, I decided to quit, and it was the first time in a while that I had no job, no need to wake up at 4 am to be in work by 4:30 am. My summer felt quite less busy, and while most of my hometown friends were working, I was just at home. I had to force myself to find activities to occupy my time. I had to adapt to that new found freedom, which just made my days longer.

Step 10: 1/2/3
About my work: Yearning
About Michael’s work: Introspective
About Eric’s work: Sedulous

Step 11: Insight and Realization
When originally drafting this assignment, I was worried that my fe felt experiences would sound as similar as the ones from Integrated Network Structures. Yet, I was very wrong, as this activity triggered other thoughts. It forced me to re-analyze and deliberate my most entangled situations. Through reflecting on both of my fe felt experiences mentioned on this assignment, I see how my brain functions differently once I am engrossed; I go from thinking about my awkward start in Jumpstart to when I felt as if I had too much time on hand upon quitting my job. With regard to this statement, there are relations between these two experiences; in fact it is due to the fact that I was forced to adapt to complicated situations due the organization I was involved in.

[darlinggarcia]

Step 1: Opening
Dynamic Decision Making

Step 2: Word Pool
Dynamic- (of process/system) characterized by constant change, activity, or progress; (of a person) positive in attitude & full of energy & new ideas
Energetic, spirited, active, lively, zestful, vital, vigorous

Decision- conclusion or resolution after consideration
Option, choice, verdict, finding, ruling, recommendation, conclusion

Making- process of producing something
Manufacturing, building, assembly, producing, creating, forming, molding

Step 3: restructuring
With molding our choices, we must remind ourselves to be zestful in taking risk.

Step 4: Felt Experience
After middle school, I had to decide whether to go to my town’s high school or an out of town high school. My town was quite small, so mostly everybody knew one another. When molding my final decision, I thought of the idea of breaking out from the familiarity of my city. The idea of getting to know other people outside my city felt quite zestful. The main concept that drove me was getting to know more people. That is when I made the choice of leaving my school district. It was worth it. I became close with others from my own city that I had not spoken to before as well as other people from other cities.

Step 5: 1/2/3
About my work: Riskful
About Michael’s work: Muted
About Eric’s work: Eager

Step 6: AB
Riskful, Push

Step 7: Word Pool
Riskful- attended with danger
Dangerous, grave, hazardous, jeopardizing, menacing, parlous, venturesome

Push- to try to move beyond or expand
Urge, influence, yearn, nudge, press, prompt

Step 8: Joint Structure
If we take advantage of the possibilities that life presents us with, we will push ourselves towards our future success.

Step 9: Fe Felt Experience
When I was determining which college to commit to, a big role that played was tuition and financial aid. I was stuck between URI and WPI. However, I was not accepted into URI’s TD program, so I was about to accept WPI’s offer considering the financial package they were offering me. However, once my cousin heard about that, she told me that she talk to the TD advisor about helping me obtain a scholarship, as I met the qualifications of having a relative in TD as well as great high school grades. With that additional scholarship, I would be able to live on campus without paying anything out of pocket; whereas WPI I was only covered for tuition not room and board. I decided it was behoove me to enroll at URI.

Step 10: 1/2/3
About my work: Convenient
About Michael’s work: Limitless
About Eric’s work: Relentless

Step 11: Insight and Realization
I realized that both my fe felt experiences revolved around my education. However, it is important to note that dynamic decision making is not just limited to education; rather it is limitless. It is important to be aware of the effects our decisions have on us. In addition, it is also important to sometimes pick the more riskful choice we have. Risky decisions can add character to us.

[darlinggarcia]

Step 1: Opening
Unique Innovative Capabilities

Step 2: Word Pool
Unique- being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else
Distinctive, individual, special, eccentric, rare, peculiar, exclusive

Innovative- (of product, idea, etc) featuring new methods => advanced & original; (of a person) introducing new ideas => original & creative in thinking
Original, new, novel, unconventional, unorthodox, advanced, futuristic, radical, experimental, inventive

Capabilities- power or ability to do something
Ability, capacity, potential, competence, experience, talent

Step 3: restructuring
To be distinctive, we must be open to unorthodox experiences.

Step 4: Fe felt Experience
During my freshman year, I was housed with two girls who I did not know prior. I noticed my roommates were quick to decorate their rooms, while my side looked plain. I could tell they did not like the plainness on one-third of the room. To be polite, I decided to decorate my side. Personally, I prefer a minimalistic decor, as I feel the room to be more spacious. However, the more I stayed in the room, the more clustered it felt. I realized I was not comfortable, so I reverted to my plain, minimal decor. I liked how my side was distinctive, and my friends were able to tell which side was mine. Although this sounds simple, it was an unorthodox experience for myself. I decided to do what I wanted, rather than try to please others.

Step 5: 1/2/3
About my work: Realization
About Michael’s work: Growth
About Eric’s work: Projective

Step 6: AB
Applying, Inconvenience

Step 7: Word Pool
Applying- make a formal application or request
Try, appeal, bid, solicit
Inconvenience- trouble or difficulty caused to one's personal requirements or comfort
Problems, disruption, trouble, annoyance, disturbance

Step 8: Joint Structure
Although it is necessary to try out new experiences, it is best to avoid them when they potentially cause problems for all those involved.

Step 9: Fe Felt Experience
When my friends and I had our licenses, we would always drive around. We had heard rumors about a street being haunted. We decided to try out the drive on this narrow street late at night. One of my friends was telling us the stories about the abandoned houses deep down in the woods as well as the ghosts of people chasing cars or cars magically turning off. To give a scare to one of our friends, the driver stopped his car and started pretending that he could not move the car. Our two friends started freaking out, while the three of us were cracking up. Now to think of it, I do not think it was venturesome, but rather stupid considering the consequences. Those problems included how narrow that street was, so easily could have had trouble with other cars, or even residents calling the cops on us for a disturbance.

Step 10: 1/2/3
About my work: Foolish
About Michael’s work: Willing
About Eric’s work: Zealous

Step 11: Insight and Realization
To be an individual, we need to show that we are distinct. We do this by absorbing new abilities to push ourselves to do the best. However, we can not push ourselves and try to fool ourselves into thinking we are doing something brave just for entertainment. When we push ourselves for the wrong reasons, it can manifest into disturbances.