Within the first week of this semester I knew that my communications and media senior seminar class would be the pinnacle of my college career. Everything I have learned in these past four years is coming together in one course that is preparing me for my life’s work. I am truly excited to see what we accomplish as a class and also as individual communications specialists. There are a few things that set your senior seminar course apart from the rest.
- The Real World Experience. As a class we are connecting with two well known city of Rochester organizations and working together to bring them new communications opportunities. The primary purpose of working with these clients is to experience what types of projects and campaigns we will encounter in future positions. I have had practice partaking in team meetings, preparing deliverables for our clients, working outside of class at our client’s business, strategizing project plans, and learning from class discussions about everyone’s internship experience.
- The Senior Camaraderie. One of my favorite parts about taking the senior seminar is being able to bond with the other seniors in my major. We’ve been dispersed throughout different classes these last four years but this semester we all finally get to work together. We have casual conversation before and after class which may not seem like much but we’ve come up with inside jokes and started to form friendships.
- Fostering A Relationship With Your Professor. Fortunately, my professor is also my advisor but this senior seminar course has presented the perfect opportunity to make a genuine connection. We have in depth discussion in class about a lot of important topics. For example, we get to talk about how we’re feeling, give honest feedback about course requirements and openly share our experiences as the semester progresses. My professor has truly shown us that she cares about our wellbeing and she is in support of all of our endeavors.
- Learning A Lot About Yourself. This senior seminar tested my limits in the best way. Traits in myself that I was confident in passed the test. However, there were things I didn’t know about myself that were brought to the surface and were up for critique. I had to handle feedback that wasn’t always what I wanted to hear but was incredibly helpful. It introduced me to the understanding that sometimes what you dislike, is actually something you’re working on within yourself. For example, you may not like people who are so loud and assertive. When deep down, you’re lacking confidence to speak up and assert yourself. You may not like it and it may make you uncomfortable because it’s something you lack. A concept like this can be so hard to initially believe but you would be surprised how applicable it is. When you get put into new situations, characteristics you didn’t know you had or don’t have are revealed. Take advantage of any experience that lets you explore who you really are.
