Celebrating a Failure

1) Tell us about a time this past semester that you failed -- whether in this class, or outside of this class. Don't spare any details! It'd be even better if there was something you tried several times this semester, and failed each time. 

- This semester, I am taking a Biology class and the only three exams that we take in this class are pretty much the biggest percentage of our grade. I knew this class was going to be difficult for me, considering I have no Biology terminology or was used to studying very much. The first examI studied a week in advance and I received a 51% (which of course to me that was a failure). For the second exam, I studied two weeks in advance, went to SI sessions, review sessions, printed out and completed worksheets, tested myself, studied with friends and I received a 68% (it was better than the first exam but it was still a failure to me.

2) Tell us what you learned from it.  

- I learned that everyone has their strengths in certain areas and also their weaknesses. I learned that even though it was frustrating to not see the results I wanted, I had to not stress about it and put myself down because that wasn't going to help anybody, especially me. I had to figure out what I did, plan how I can do it better and hope for the best.

3) Reflect, in general, on what you think about failure. Failure is hard, isn't it? It's embarrassing, sure, but it also means that we have to change something about ourselves. Talk about how you handle failure (emotionally, behaviorally). Finally, talk about how this class has changed your perspective on failure -- are you more likely to take a risk now than you were just a few months ago?

- I think failure is one of the best and educational things that can happen to an individual. By educational I mean it teaches an individual about themselves, how they deal with different situations and how they overcome. These factors say a lot about ones characteristics. Emotionally, at first, I am hard on myself and feel that I could've done something better and that I didn't do something right. Behaviorally, no matter how I'm feeling, its pushed to the side for the time being so that I can focus on the many other aspects of my life I need to be productive in. You can't let any failure let you down cause life will keep going.