The Top-Five Things I Hope You Learned This
Semester that have NOTHING to do with Biology
5.
In the real world, a ‘group project’ means that all team
members work together to produce a final product. Not everyone has
the same strengths, but all members have something of value to offer. Your outcome (in this class – your grade) of
a group project is usually based on your individual contribution to the project’s
creation and presentation.
4.
It is rude & distracting to the entire class to talk
when others are speaking. This is something that mature adults know and
practice. This applies to when the
instructor is talking or when classmates are attempting to have a class
discussion. You may believe that
whispering to your classmate in the back of the room is so quiet that no one
will hear you, but you are incorrect.
Few things are more discouraging than having something important to say
and realizing that the people you are talking to are choosing not to
listen.
3.
You look foolish when you ask a question that was answered
5 seconds before when you were busy texting, facebooking, or whispering to your
neighbor.
2.
When your professor makes comments and suggestions on your
paper, you should read those comments and change the paper as they have
requested before re-submitting the assignment. If you only submit
a paper once before grading, the comments from one paper apply to the next
assignment.
1.
You are capable of more than you know and believe. You have the
ability to read and learn many things on your own. Your instructors want to help you with things
you need more help on – not spoon feed you every piece of information you might
possibly need to know. Thomas Edison,
one of the greatest American inventors ever, was adamant that his success was
not due to some amazing intellect. He
often told people that it was “90% due to hard work.” The great news is this is something that is
completely within each individual’s control.
It has been a great privilege
to spend this semester with you in Introduction to Biology. Please feel free to stop by my office and
chat when you return in the Spring! Have
a wonderful and restful semester break and Christmas!
