Growth Mindset: Endless Possibilities of Learning

I actually had never heard of Carol Dweck before watching these videos, but I absolutely loved her TED talk about the Growth Mindset. I especially liked that she brought up how a lot of people nowadays are only focused on getting A's in their classes, and will do all sorts of things to allow them to do that. People will cheat on homework, tests, and papers for the change to receive an A. People will intentionally take easy courses in order to obtain all A's. This isn't how education should be. It should be structured with phrases like "Not Yet" instead of "you have failed." The way we are brought up and the way we are introduced to education at a young ago really does factor into how we function later on. It would be so much better if everyone focused on the material at hand and challenged themselves in order to succeed in life, rather than take the easy route and focus only on the letter grade. I can understand the desperate need for an A, as I always strive for A's too, but I have learned recently that just getting an A does not mean you understand the material. And when we have to go out into the real world, they are going to need you to KNOW your stuff. Not just know how to take the easy way out.

Source: It's true! Sometimes you have to take a step back to see the whole picture and then figure out what to do from there.

Some of my biggest challenges when it comes to learning include the fear of failing. I always get scared that I might not understand the material and fail an exam. For every exam that pops up, I am afraid of managing my time to study enough for it so that I can get a good grade, but also manage my other classes, extracurricular activities, have a social life, and still get a decent amount sleep. All of this stress together can cause problems, but I have learned many time management skills at my time at OU. I have learned how to turn down organizational activities and meetings, as well as hangouts with friends, when I need to. It's hard, but if I am determined enough, I can make it happen. 

I am extremely worried for this semester because I have to study for the MCAT that I will be taking in the upcoming spring semester. I am so scared to take that test because just looking at the questions is giving me nightmares. However, I think I can take what Carol Dweck said and turn it around for something I can use daily. I need to focus on understanding the material and really liking what I do, instead of just aiming for a score.