Good Bye Just Means There Will Be Another Hello

As I talked about in class one day, coming to Santa Clara was anything but an adventure for me. It was like high school all over again. Two of my best friends are here. I am surrounded by the same Jesuit teachings. There is no culture shock, no challenge, no city for me to explore. Don't get me wrong though, I love it here, but something was missing. No matter how much I tried to convince myself that I was in the right place, I never really believed it. I seriously thought about transferring. I looked for schools with Civil Engineering programs that would accept Santa Clara Credit and looked at the information about transferring. What would I need to do to get in? What paper work did I need? ect.  (Until I posted this blog Maddie is the only one who I ever talked to about this. My parents have access to my blog, so I bet they are quite shocked to hear this.) I felt trapped in a SCU bubble. It was like college was too good to be true and I wasn't really living. 

This now this bring me to the question, "What did I get out of this class?". I found my place at Santa Clara. I found that I am meant to be a leader here. I am meant to work with my peers towards something I am passionate about. I am meant to create meaningful relationships the he people around me. Before this class I felt like I was just going through the motions. Every day was the same and I going crazy. I didn't know where I fit into the community here. Now however, I know who I am. From the MBTI test, the values activities, though interacting with each one of you, I know my strengths, my weaknesses, myself, better than I could ever imagine. I have realized that the relationships I make though helping and working with others are what I value the most. I have learned to accept my weaknesses and ask for help. I have learned to embrace my strengths AND weaknesses, because they make me who I am. I have leaned that I love help others learn and seeing them succeeded. With knowing myself, I have become more confident in who I am. I have broken out of my shell. I am an introvert yes, but I love being around people. It just takes time for me to be comfortable around strangers. The confidence I built up in this class makes it is easier for me to be the crazy, out going, people person, Leah that my family and closest friends know. You guys are the reason I am meant to be at Santa Clara. You have inspired me to be involved in the community here and to lead more fully in hopes of giving everyone else the experience I have had here so far. 

Part of finding my place here has come though being honored with being CF in graham next year. I can't even begin to explain my excitement for this. I can't wait to go though formation and see what they mean by "we want someone who can become a CF". I want to reach my full potential as a leader and pass on my passion for leading to freshman next year. I want to learn how to motivate others. I want to learn to help other students become confident in themselves and find their place at SCU. I want to learn to push myself and groups I work with outside of our comfort zone. I want to learn to be a leader in all situations, not just ones I am comfortable in. 

Stages of Group Development

The video clip that is missing is the first stage, and like many other people I have chosen a clip from a Disney movie. The Lion King is a movie that is very close to my heart. My parents like to tell the story that is was the first movie they saw in theaters after I was born and that they both started crying during the song circle of life at the beginning of the movie. I grew up watching all the time and knowing the words to all the songs.

This shows every aspect of stage 1. Even though it is not a whole group of people Simba displays every characteristic of a newly formed group. Simba is destined to be King and as the words say he “just can’t wait” showing the excitement and anticipation he is feeling. Just like a group finds their reason for existence, he knows his purpose in life is to be a leader and that he must eventually replace his father as King. The most obvious stage one characteristic shown here is self-oriented. As of right now, he would not be a good King. He only things about what he wants and what is best for himself (like ditching Zazu to go to a grave yard). Throughout the song, he tests Zazu. Simba tries to fire him and then tries to get Zazu to agree to various things and tests the limits of what Zazu will let him do. , and like many other people I have choen a clip from a Disney movie. The Lion King is a movie that is very close to my heart. My parents like to tell the story that is was the first movie they saw in theaters after I was born and that they both started crying during the song circle of life at the beginning of the movie. I grew up watching all the time and knowing the words to all the songs.

The other Video clips match up with...... 

Stage 2: Attitude Reflects Leadership

Stage 3: Coach Carter

Stage 4:  Finding nemo

Stage 5: Your Free