With a busy semester in my rear view mirror, I'd like to quickly point out something that has been on my mind for a bit.
I was asked a few weeks back to speak in front of a few prospective students and their parents regarding my involvement with Immersive Learning projects at Ball State. I prepared nothing, thinking I'd be speaking in front of maybe 100 people (which of course turned into upwards of 600 people!). One thing I managed to talk about, despite my nerves, was the friendships which I have gleaned from these projects.
I tend to keep small circles of friends; I'd rather they mean a great deal and have fewer of them. The friends I've made within my program have been a great blessing to me. They've been motivators, instigators of growth, and sources of stress release. A silly Youtube video after eight straight hours of work can do wonders.
If I could talk to 2006 Josh, one thing I would tell him would be that everyone feels more or less like you do. It's scary being in an entry level class, thinking that everyone knows how to program at the onset of college. This is obviously and absolutely false. I wish I was able to get over that mental barrier but some lessons take time. Getting close to a few classmates showed me that; not everyone knows what they're doing all of the time. And that's OK!
Making friends absolutely had a huge effect on my college career, and I have the few Immersive Learning projects to thank for that. Not only do they pit students against challenging problems, but they might just coax someone out of their shell, which can make all the difference.
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