Biology 364 (Perspectives in Toxicology)
Background:
I took this course fall semester of my junior year. It was a relatively small class that was taught in a large lecture hall. In this class, I learned about different toxins as well as the importance toxicology has in our everyday lives. This was one of my classes fall semester that was heavy on homework and projects.
Fun Fact:
I won first place for the Risk Assessment project I presented at the Fall 2021 Student Showcase!
Link to my presentation: Risk Assessment of Anaconda Copper Mine | Longwood University Fall 2021 Student Showcase | Symposium by ForagerOne
Evaluating Efficiency:
This was a class where I had to learn how to devote my time and energy. At the start of the semester, I devoted a lot of time to this class. I spent hours doing the readings, completing the homework, and writing my essays. There would be times where I was devoting hours on an assignment that only took my classmates 30 minutes tops. For a short while, devoting so much time to this class wasn’t a problem; however, as the semester picked up, my other classes and responsibilities required more time. Needless to say, I needed more time that I simply did not have. After tiring of my constant complaints that I had no time, my friends told me that I needed to “stop spending so much time on the homework.”
After listening to my friend’s advice, I made a crucial discovery.
I learned the difference between mindless work and efficient work. I figured out a way to shorten the amount of time I spent on homework by identifying when I needed to change my mindset to do efficient work. There was a clear difference in the two ways I did homework. The first is working efficiently, getting into that homework groove where my mind was completely devoted to the task at hand. The second is working mindlessly, where my mind would be distracted and where my morale was low. At times where I would find myself working mindlessly, I would set my homework aside and take a break, or move on to other assignments. Recognizing this difference and being able to catch and change my mindset when in the act of mindless work helped me to find the time I needed for my other responsibilities. Hopefully, I can continue to save time by recognizing when I fall into mindless work.
This is the Risk Assessment Poster I did on the Anaconda Copper Mine that won 1st place for a Pre-Recorded Presentation of Class Research Project.