Statistics. Oh Statistics, how I fear you. Starting in 5th grade I suddenly went from categorized as “good at math” to “struggles with basic concepts”. I’ve often wondered how this came to be. Was it the chicken in that my teacher wasn’t very good at explaining the ideas of pre-algebra to a bunch of 10-year olds and the game was lost at that point. Or was it the egg, that I had never really had an aptitude for math but instead parents who worked hard to teach me math concepts until we hit the level where they also had issues. Whatever the case is, as soon as we start speaking about math, it sounds like someone has accidentally switched the tv channel inside my brain to the static channel and the voices sound like the adults in the Peanuts. So, when I was applying to this program and saw statistics, my heart sank. However, I am now old enough, wise enough, and have the financial capabilities to seek help. I’ll, of course, start with the free help offered at The Math Place. I’ve also been lucky enough to make connections at a Fusion high school which has offered one on one classes in math if I should need. This trepidation includes the accounting and financial classes that are part of the curriculum. I am lucky enough that when I was promoted at a previous job and asked what areas I was most concerned about, I mentioned budgeting, so I’ve had some pretty hands-on help in that area.
There are two other classes that may play into my weaknesses. One is Organization Behavior 398-B where we will learn about career soft skills, especially branding. I truly hate talking about myself. When I changed jobs in 2018, the worst part was having to write my resume. Puffing myself up, branding myself makes me feel like I’ve eaten worms for breakfast. I love to let my work speak for me, and times, when I must speak about myself, are excruciating.
The other class is one I am taking right now, English 205. I love to read. I love the English language. If I could retire now and spend the rest of my life reading as many of the published works in the world as I could, nothing would make me happier. So, it’s completely strange that I freeze up every time I try to take a Composition class. I’m fortunate in how open Leslie is to the needs of her students. Her belief in me has gone a long way in allaying my fears and offering a glimmer of hope.
As for strengths, I’ll confess that I applied to this program in part because so much of it is work that I’ve taken part in in the past. I’ve been lucky enough to take the League of Chicago Theatre’s full-day seminar on Leadership and Conflict Resolution. As someone navigating a life full of characters with their own issues, I’ve always been fascinated by what makes other people tick. Having my father own a consulting firm in our home and a member of Jim Higgins & Associates since 1994, I’ve long speculated at how work that pleases one company will leave another flat. The course I am looking the most forward to is not Introduction to Marketing, though that is my field, but the Literature and Leadership course. Any excuse to read a good book makes me quite happy.
MarketingMichelle 