Reflective Essay: Experiences, Learning, and Growth in University Life

This reflective essay provides a detailed account of a student's experiences in college, exploring the positive and negative impacts of their education on their personal and professional development. The essay discusses various learning experiences, including making presentations, conducting research, and participating in classroom activities, highlighting the development of skills such as communication and research abilities. It reflects on what went well, such as improved presentation skills and teamwork, as well as challenges like conflicts in group work and lack of confidence. The essay also identifies opportunities for growth, such as improving communication skills and overcoming personal hesitations. The conclusion summarizes the key learnings, emphasizing the importance of education and the continuous process of self-improvement. The essay includes a list of references with books and journals used in the essay.

Reflective Essay

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
In this report, I am going to describe my experience in college campus where I have learn
many new things which make positive as well as negative impact on my personal and
professional career. There will be a discussion about my learning experience which improve my
future performance.
MAIN BODY
What I Learn
Education is much important for every person in a country for growth and development
of their personal knowledge and skills (Allan and Driscoll, 2014). I have completed my higher
education from a university where I have study about 4 years. I have learn my learn my new
things and get experience for future performance. When I was entered in college, I interact with
so many students and make friends. Environment of university is positive and friendly. In first
year, I have learn to make presentation and present my view in front of whole class. In second
year, I learn to do research on different topics which improve my ability by learning something
new.
There are many different activities was conducted in our university where I take
participate and improve my confidence. There was a good experience I got in my college life.
Classroom activities are create fun and helps to learn new things which improve my
understanding, behaviour and performance in both my education life and employment career.
Presentation skill will helps to improve the interaction, eye contacts, and communication. Every
person should take participate in different activities and improve their skills which helps them to
get opportunities in professional career (Bergson, 2014). In case of research, data all collected
from different sources which helps to analyse the conceptual and technical skills of people on
different professions. In my education, I recognise that study is all about assessing information
and improving knowledge.
What Went Right
There are various things which I have learnt in my educational life. These are very
important for me to gain more information about different factors which helps in my
employment. Education play a important role in the life of a person. With the help of education,
an individual can improve their communication skills, presentation skills, reading capacity,
understanding etc. There are so many right things I have learnt from my schooling and college. I
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feel that I was motivated by my professors and explore the world by using my imagination. I
believe in curiosity and generate knowledge and ideas by interaction with others. In student life,
I have improve my presentation skills through which I can give presentation on any kind of topic
in front of large number of people. It develop my confidence interaction with different people. It
gain the knowledge of different fields. It make communication more effective where both
persons who are communicate with each other, can easily understand the opinions of each other
(Canagarajah, 2016). Research on a topic and make presentation is generally a part of team work.
Group projects was also assign to us in our university.
Basically, working together is a part of life and I can honestly say that group projects are
more effective as compare to individual presentation. Because in group work, they can generate
more ideas and thoughts which helps to make a team performance effective and efficient. When I
went for a research then I got different sources which are helps to exploring new things and
sources. My reading capacity was improved and my knowledge and behaviour was helps in my
employment career.
What Went Wrong
There are some difficulties arises in education life which make adverse impact on my
personal as well as professional career. Sometimes, conflicts may arises in team work. When a
task or project work is given in a team by our professors then everyone have generate their own
thoughts and opinions. But from the others point of view that idea was not so good to achieve
their projects (Mummalaneni, 2014). In that case, conflicts was arises and I got stressed when I
found a difficult assignment and not to meet with opinion of my team members. Other reason of
getting stressed is that group members are highly depends on each other to execute task.
Although, presentation is a good skill which enhance my confidence by but sometime, I can'
make eye contact with audience because of lack of confidence. When I was entered in university
then feel hesitate because I don't know anybody in college. I can't able to understand that what
others want to say. My reading capacity and communication was also not so good which make
impact on my education and employment career.
Opportunities
There was some opportunities which I found in university was that I took participate in
different activities and detect my weaknesses. My university gave me opportunities to improve
my communication skills by interacting with students and make friends. I also learnt to make and
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give presentation by which I can present my opinion on a particular in front of large number of
people. Classroom presentation helps to extend my reading capacity, performance, behaviour and
experience in education as well as employment (Schön, 2017). My professor guide me regarding
different things and I made proper notes which helps me in determining them whenever I need. I
went to different trips with classmates and professors. I have learnt so many things in that trips.
My weakness was that I can't make eye contact with audience when I gave presentation. Then I
realise that its my personal hesitation which I can eliminate by giving presentation in class with
small number of audience and then after try to present my views with large number of audience.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it can conclude that when I entered in university then learn
many things and make many friends. It improve my confidence and knowledge. I learn about
research, presentation, understanding etc. these all are the right things which I got and learnt in
my education life. But there are some negative aspects which are my weakness that are conflicts
and some other factors. I got opportunities to avoid my weakness that I extend my reading
capacity and improve my understandings.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Allan, E. G. and Driscoll, D. L., 2014. The three-fold benefit of reflective writing: Improving
program assessment, student learning, and faculty professional development. Assessing
Writing. 21. pp.37-55.
Bergson, H., 2014. Time and free will: An essay on the immediate data of consciousness.
Routledge.
Canagarajah, S., 2016. Translingual writing and teacher development in composition. College
English. 78(3). p.265.
Mummalaneni, V., 2014. Reflective essay and e-portfolio to promote and assess student learning
in a capstone marketing course. Marketing Education Review. 24(1). pp.43-46.
Schön, D. A., 2017. The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Routledge.
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