One of the biggest accomplishments of my academic career became really real yesterday as I received the certificate in the picture above in the mail. I’d looked up the requirements on the school website prior to yesterday, but it was real. And I was ecstatic. But then, I started asking questions.

Is the Dean’s List a really fair thing? Do numbers really show how much anyone learns or knows? In the case of people with chronic health conditions, it means you literally did everything you could. In this post, I tell you just exactly what I did for the semester, but still. I did so much more than those things.

I never want to be the poster child for “conquering” a disability, but really, I think that a “hey, you’re mature, you don’t drink and party every night, and you work hard all the time” list is in order. It’s never that I work harder than anyone else; it’s just that my definition of working hard is different from anyone else, save the fact that I use the same amount of energy that you do by 9pm by 9am. Every single muscle in my body works all the stinkin’ time. Sure, I’m typing this blog post with one hand, but I can feel my whole right side tensing. It i what it is.

Take a step back and consider. Is it because you achieved, or is it because you believed? For me, I believed that I could achieve, and this past semester was a definite turning point. For the support, I’m eternally grateful, and for the love, I can never repay you all enough. So, thank you. From the bottom of my heart.

This semester, the one that finished nearly three weeks ago, was the best one of my college career.  I finished with a 3.71 GPA and couldn’t have been prouder of myself. Since this semester finished, I have moved twice and taken a whole course in two weeks.  You read that right.  I was in class for 22.5 hours a week, have this week off, and will be beginning a course in cognitive psychology next Wednesday.  Such is the life of a busy undergraduate getting ready to apply for graduate study. Where, you ask? Well, right here is my top choice. In what? This.

I know this semester was wonderful, and that in and of itself is enough, but to me, it is important to make note of patterns and the things that I noticeably did differently. Five of those things might be hard, but here goes.

I slept. This might be a strange one, but for those of you familiar with the college life, the stereotypical image of a college student is the clock striking 3am with a book buried in a lap, preparing for an 8am exam. For me, I found that I did better work earlier in the morning, so I would much rather go to bed early to get up in the morning to finish essay edits or what have you. Because I had the energy, I had the drive.  And because I had the drive, the numbers showed it.

I talked. For some students, it doesn’t come clear that the things they need to do when they are struggling in any way in a certain class is to let someone know. Namely, that someone should probably be the professor. For me, this worked wonders.  Every time I had a small question, such as clarification on expectations, I would, at the very least, e-mail my professor to let him or her know the question and to make sure that I understood the answer.  Not only did it help me to understand the requirements and expectations, but my asking helped my professors to understand the conscious effort that I was putting forth to ensure success.  And because they’re human, they liked that and took pleasure in it.  Most of them even thanked me for asking just the small questions.

I breathed. Again, this may seem arbitrary, but in semesters past, I would literally forget that not every number meant life or death.  It was by no means a perfect semester numbers-wise or I would have finished with a 4.0 instead of a 3.71, but I gave it my all and at the end of each day, I was thankful that the next day was just another chance to do well and to prove myself.  After every test, I would physically correct my mistakes so that I never made the same ones twice. And that, in and of itself, was a life lesson bigger than any semester or any single experience could have taught me. In March, when I breathed, I landed here doing this with some of the best people in the entire world. Appreciation for just being manifests itself in such beautiful ways if it’s given the chance.

I laughed. For the longest time, I thought that the students with the highest GPAs never had a social life.  This semester, I learned that that statement couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ll never forget the kitties that taught me rules of statistical analysis or the types of variables and their spelling “NOIR” (Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio) implying that psychologists like to “get crazy”. My research methods instructor and I had a really neat bond that inspired me to continue with a career in research after writing a whole proposal and presentation as a part of the class.

I discovered. I discovered that my true passions do lie in psychological sciences, and I discovered that the ways to let yourself fly are to build your wings carefully and with enough strength that no matter the obstacle, you’ll still remain in the air. It’s not an easy thing balancing health concerns and a hopeful career in academia, but it is all worth it.  I discovered a passion and a drive that I hope to one day help a student discover.

This semester was one for the books on my end.  How did yours turn out?

I made the journey to Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia, to hear the annual Torrance Lecture that is given by an established scholar in the field of creativity each year.  After finding out that Kyung Hee was the lecturer this year, I was hooked.

Tuesday night, after sitting in a long research lab about giving oral presentations of research findings, I headed off to Athens.  Kyung Hee had invited me to dinner just to get to know each other, to talk about creativity research, and to enjoy each other’s company.  I was floored.  She is truly remarkable.  After a little mix-up, a journalist, who had previously wrote about her life and work, showed up to see what our interaction was like.  It felt awesome to understand and know that other people are appreciative of her work and of the beautiful story that is her life.

After leaving dinner, my heart was truly changed.  Here was a woman who doesn’t look like me, act like me, walk like me, or talk like me, and yet, we had everything in common.  Kyung Hee and I have the same appreciation for life, for love, and for friendship, and that’s what united us on that amazing night in the Classic City of Athens.  If one didn’t know Kyung Hee, you wouldn’t know that she has been featured in Newsweek, that she has had numerous publications in the leading journals in creativity research, and that she has not one, but two, Ph.D.s. A native of Korea, Kyung Hee has defied the odds.  She has taught me, and really all with whom she comes in contact, that life is truly what you make it.  Fairness is what you make it, and success is defined in several different ways for all of us. Of course, there is much more reflection that is to come on the meeting, on the lecture itself, and on our future work together, but for now, all I can manage to think about is the lessons that she taught inconspicuously through her actions, her words, and her stories.

The quiet, headstrong nature of her personality makes me a little envious of the things that the qualities have allowed her to overcome, but it is such an honor to know her and to model my research and my work in academia after such poise and grace.

Look for more reflection on different aspects of the experience in the coming days.  Kyung Hee, I love you, my sister. I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

This is a research seminar that I was privileged to attend in a quaint location near the UGA campus hosted and conducted by graduate students in educational psychology.

The infamous question that is asked when someone is at my stage in “studenthood” is the age old question of what we’ll do when we graduate. My answer? “Well, I’ll be in college for the rest of my life.” Pursuing three degrees throughout life in a very academic field (educational psychology/gifted and creative education) is recipe for long research articles, intelligent conversation, and a lifetime appreciation for the art of the ten minute power nap.

There will be very few days in which you can’t say you learned something new. In life, I’ve learned that nothing is a failure. Rather, everything is a learning experience. Whether you learn something from an intelligent conversation or from the reading of empirical studies, almost every day in the field of academia is one rich with experience, appreciation, and opportunity. To me, that is glaringly satisfying!

People easily understand you. It might look strange to a two-year-old child to see you constantly writing on your computer or to see you constantly with your nose in a book, but somewhere, always, there are people who understand you and the overwhelming desires that overtake “professional nerds” to inspire them to become greatness.

The younger, the better. The younger you are as you make your goals, your dreams and your passions apparent, the more likely it is that people will take notice. It’s how I met my mentor.  I was afforded the opportunity to present with my hopeful future graduate program at a state conference by these wonderful folks, and you can see the contents of what we presented on this page, by scrolling down to “2012 Activities”.  It was, and is, truly one of the most inspirational experiences of my life thus far.

Intelligent conversation is stimulating. Talking with people who are well-educated and who are smart helps me, and others, to understand the value of an education and to understand the value of perseverance and hard work. A wonderful friend and colleague of mine, who I have the pleasure of meeting before she lectures as the 2012 Torrance Lecture at the University of Georgia, is the definition of grace, perseverance, and dedication. I am so honored, privileged, and excited to have the opportunity to have some one-on-one time with such a fine and reputable scholar and woman.  Make sure you establish those contacts because your brain, your heart,and your mind will be aching for it after a while.

Educating others is a great joy. Regardless of whether you’re in full-time research, or if your position is a professorship, teaching someone the knowledge that you have gained through any medium is empowering. To yourself and to the person you’re teaching. You enable people to expand on your work and to learn from both your successes and your “lessons learned.” By teaching, you empower the future. By empowering the future, you empower and give purpose to life. It’s exactly how I became familiar with the work of my inspiration, Dr. E. Paul Torrance.

In your experience, what makes scholarship good? What are the negatives? How can we improve the motives and incentives within scholarship and academia? 

This transition has brought about many things including the importance of me learning independence on a deeper level, but also, I’ve learned that I need a change, too.  Even before I knew he was leaving, I felt myself aching for a change.  Other people told me they could hear it in my voice, so one thing is for sure.  I need a change.  Right now, I’m trying to figure out what the change needs to be in exploring all kinds of options and different avenues that I could take to get the job done.  Sometimes, the most necessary things are the most frightening.

I’m more happy for my “second dad” than anyone will ever realize, and just talking to him over the past few days has shown me that he is equally happy to be doing what he’s doing where he is right now.  His children and grandchildren are very nearby, and it’s nice.  It’s nice for him, for his family, and even though it’s hard right now, it’s nice for me, too.  He left the school; he didn’t leave me.

As I embark on a journey of discovering what’s best, I appreciate the love and support of my blog readers, so let’s hold virtual hands, and hold on tight.  Look for posts this week on developments of the change. Mahatma Gandhi said it best: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Come with me as we change the world.

Note, however, that this blog isn’t going anywhere; I just need a place to collectively gather my thoughts. So, please, would you join me in saying Thank You, Dr. Torrance?

I’m pretty accustomed to this word. It just comes with the territory of my challenges and current situations, but in 2012, I’m hoping that I can take it to the next level. How? With three main aspects of my life. There were many things in 2011 that just didn’t play out for me. The funny thing is, though, they were all things over which I had control. These three goals will hopefully demolish the issues that were present in 2011.

Remain healthy. For me, this is sometimes a challenge.  An example: when I’m home for long breaks like I have been, I tend to rest too much. We all know that’s not good. I eat out way too much at school. Yes, it’s a challenge living in the dorms, but there are ways, and it’s just got to happen. No, I haven’t gained weight or anything like that, but it will just help me to feel better and to feel better about myself as a whole.  This sounds weird, too, but taking showers at night instead of the morning will help me to have more time to myself and will help me to have more time to concentrate on getting ready and making an effort to look good, feel good, and move well in the mornings. That’s really important when you’re mobility challenged, if you will. If I look good, I feel better, if I eat well, I feel better, and if I have some restoration time, I feel better. If I remain healthy, I feel better. 

Remain focused. I’ve got three more semesters left of my undergraduate study (not including three summer classes this summer), and they need to be my focus, along with my research and my GRE preparation for graduate school.  Before school starts back next week, I hope to come up with a study calendar that will incorporate my GRE study time, too. I’ll crack the New GRE 2011-2012 Premier with CD-ROM (Kaplan GRE) for half an hour each day during the week and 2 hours on the weekends. I’m determined to do super well this semester, and it will happen. I’m taking a research methods course, which will play nicely into my affinity for reading everything I can get my hands on in terms of my research. Currently, it’s Bright Not Broken by Diane M. Kennedy and Rebecca S. Banks. I’ve also thumbed through How the Gifted Brain Learns by David A. Sousa and Twice-Exceptional Gifted Children: Understanding, Teaching, and Counseling Gifted Students by Beverly Trail, Ed.D., but the last two are textbooks, so the reading is different. Along the same line, a surprise came last week. I was invited to “present” with the graduate students of the program at the top of my list during a statewide convention in the Spring. At first, I didn’t really know how to react, because in my head, these are graduate students, and I’m nowhere near as qualified as they are, but then, I started thinking about it. It’s a true honor to be asked, and no one would ask anyone who was unqualified. So I’m so excited, and I can’t wait to see what is in store on that front. Just another tool to keep the focus intact. For that, I’m so grateful.

Remain happy.  I think Kerri’s video at the end of her recent post says it all. Happy is a great motto. For me, happiness means scheduling time to be social, to enjoy a nice dinner with friends, and to just live life a little bit. Definitions of that will be different depending on the day’s responsibilities, but my friends are important. Both as people and to me. So, I’ll make time to know them, support them, and help them in whatever way possible. There’s something new this semester that I’ll reveal later.

And just a personal note of sappy-happy-goodness: Thanks, y’all. You’ve helped and equipped me to start carrying my “perseverance toolkit” with confidence, poise, and pride through your friendship, your reading, your tweeting, your blogging, and your feedback. Here’s to a wonderful 2012 with plenty of posts, comments, and bloggy goodness coming your way!

Tell me. Before you go, what’s in your perseverance toolkit for 2012? 

Disclosure: All book related links are Amazon Affiliate links.

Don’t be afraid to fall in love with something

and pursue it with intensity

Know, understand, take pride in, practice, develop, exploit

and enjoy your greatest strengths.

Learn to free yourself from the expectations of others

and to walk away from the games they impose on you.

Free yourself to play your own game.

Find a great teacher or mentor who will help you.

Learn the skills of interdependence.

Don’t waste energy trying to be well rounded.

Do what you love and can do well.

More to come on my studies and my future endeavors as well as day to day musings. (I’ve also set goals of maintaining a weekly schedule to blog, so we will see how that turns out.) Here’s wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, prosperous new year, and I’ll see you in 2012!

Most of these, as you’ll see, are common to any college student, but the descriptions will leave you with the details that apply strictly to my situation.  If you’ve had experience or have suggestions, your feedback and input is sought and greatly appreciated.

Repetition seems like a waste of time. This sounds so obvious, but in my situation, I have to determine how much energy and thought is needed to devote to an activity before getting started due to the fact that most times, I have a whole day of activities ready to be conquered.  The area of my studies and of my life that this seemed to be the most accurate was the fact that in certain homework assignments, after already proving understanding of a concept, I still had fifteen more problems, or chances, with which I had to prove mastery. I do agree that repetition is a great way to learn processes, but sometimes, the old paper and pencil method just gets boring. I went in search of other ways to accomplish the same goal, and I will share those, but first, I want to hear what your suggestions might be! How can we avoid the mundane feelings of repetition?

Sometimes, the scale was just a little off. As with most people, I had, and have, a hard time balancing school and a social life.  My social life has never gotten in the way of my schoolwork because I am way too focused to let that happen.  Instead, though, it’s happened the other way.  Too much school means that my friends aren’t getting the support they need, and I’m not getting the support and relaxation that I need.  How do YOU balance your scales of life?

I often felt like what I was doing wasn’t good enough. In some way or another, in some capacity or another, I think everyone feels this way at some point, but for me, it most often came when I was physically exhausted.  I knew that I had five more math problems to finish, I knew that I was exhausted from a day that lasted from 7:30 to 5:30, and I also knew that I wanted to go have ice cream with my best friend.   I could tell myself that the five math problems would only take ten minutes, but there were times and concepts for which that couldn’t be guaranteed. So, how much is too much, and what is good enough?

Stay tuned for the strategies that I plan to implement to avoid these issues for next semester and those to come. Additionally, the update on the graduate school search and progress is coming at the end of the week!

In the meantime, how do YOU manage stress as a student or employee? What has and hasn’t worked for you?

That sounds like a long time from now, but when you have to figure out which programs to apply to, visit, take the GRE, and get your name out there all while finishing an undergraduate degree, it’s not much time at all!

My graduate school search has been a very productive one — one that has allowed me to meet a dear mentor and choose my heart’s true passion in the field of educational psychology.

The University of Georgia is well-known in the world of educational psychology, specifically in the field of gifted and creative education, which is the emphasis of my program.  Dr. Bonnie Cramond, my mentor’s mentor, is a well-known researcher in the world of creativity and was a student and mentee of Dr. E. Paul Torrance, creator of the Torrance Test for Creative Thinking.  She has truly embraced my passion, and we have developed a strong professional relationship that I will forever cherish.

My research interests at the University of Georgia include adaptations that can be made to the Torrance test for twice-exceptional students who may be non-verbal, the “plight” of the twice-exceptional student, and the implementation of strategic instruction for the twice-exceptional student.

As such, I hope to develop an undergraduate thesis that answers some of these questions related to the creativity of twice-exceptional students.

Get ready for this crazy ride of watching me bloom and grow through the process.