Reflection Post #4 (COM 601)

8 weeks and a few projects later, here we are! I cannot believe it’s already over. I knew graduate school would be a new step, but I didn’t realize how exciting of an experience it would be getting to collaborate with students online and be able to dive into an entirely new way of understanding communication.

I must say, the first few weeks were tough trying to balance a full time job, a “side hustle,” and graduate school. I’d often find myself having to work on assignments on my lunch break and turn them in as soon as I got home. I eventually got to the point where I was able to schedule my time where I could designate the first or last few hours of my day to diving into the readings and objectives and really trying to push myself in our projects. It was also wonderful to see our class come together and provide such wonderful feedback. It was well thought out and was actually helpful. Coming from an undergraduate experience where discussion boards were more of just one line answers, it was refreshing for us to be able to discuss our thesis’ and feedback as professional peers and not just classmates.

I was very thankful at the opportunity to try some new things with the media options for our projects. I use a lot of different programs for work so I was thankful at the opportunity to try some new things with them and create content for the class. It was an option I am truly grateful for since I know I still have plenty of room to grow in those areas. I will say that after two years of being out of school, I’m surprised at how much I’ve forgotten! Jumping back into research papers and discussion boards was a bit of an adjustment for me since I hadn’t been in a “classroom” in a while. I know that I need to work on proof reading my citations and I want to gain a deeper understanding of APA format so I’m able to focus my writing process more on the actual content rather than worrying if the comma goes after the parenthesis. I’ll be taking some time outside of the classroom to work on those skills but this class has definitely made it a lot clearer for me!

Thank you for an absolutely wonderful class experience and I cannot wait to be challenged even further. You’ve made the transition back into student so much easier and I am so appreciative for it!