“It’s never too late to mend.”
PROVERB
You’re never too old to change your ways. Learning is always possible.
Tag Archive: change
There are 7.046 billion people living on Earth today. If you had 30 seconds to say whatever you wanted to every single one of them, what would you say?
It is no secret that in today’s day and age we, as a global society, are connected more than ever. With so many opinions circulating, so many viewpoints being expressed, it is nearly impossible not to experience information fatigue and to tune out a lot of the daily opinions that are being thrown around in every arena of life. But, if you could be sure that every person on the planet was listening, you would have the ability to really make your voice heard, to make a change, to touch people’s lives, and express what is truly important to you.
For me, I would speak of love. For I believe that love is the foundation of all greatness. Also, I would speak on the importance of perseverance, because those who emerge from the darkest of places often look the most exquisite in the light.
Written by: Ashley Bennett
THANK YOU TO OUR STUDENTS FOR THE FEEDBACK! 
“It’s never too late to mend”
PROVERB
You’re never too old to change your ways. Learning is always possible.
Prompt: How has the CPO prepared you for your future career or working experience? Do you feel equipped with tangible skills to be successful in the work force? (Examples: accountability, punctuality, communication, responsibility, etc.)
Back in 2010 the Writing Success Program hired me as the first ever ESL/ELL Writing Counselor. The job came with no specific description or guidelines. My boss told me I would be a Writing Counselor, but I would focus more specifically on assisting ESL/ELL students–that was it.
At the time I was the youngest on staff and the only one who had never worked in Community Programs Office (CPO). As a Sophomore and a “newbie,” I felt a lot of pressure. I wondered if people would question my (lack of) experience or my age. My co-workers and boss’ years of experience intimidated me. Also, since it was my first real job, I felt very nervous. I didn’t want to screw up or get in trouble, so I took my job very seriously.
The first quarter I overworked myself: our objective was to hold 60 sessions, but I held over 120. Holding this overwhelming number of sessions took its toll on me (especially since we are only allocated 14 paid hours a week). I had to learn to set boundaries with my students, especially when they started calling me or knocking on my door at 2am. I constantly felt stressed since I wasn’t sleeping well or taking care of myself. Furthermore, I did not know how to manage my time. I often missed deadlines or spent too much time completing tasks. But with a lot of training and accountability, Sahra (my boss) taught me to become a stronger, more reliable and assertive woman.
Sahra gave me numerous opportunities to develop the role of the ESL/ELL Counselor. She asked me to lead a grammar exercise at each of our meetings so counselors could further assist ESL students. Consequently, I compiled all of the materials and wrote a grammar workbook for future ESL/ELL counselors to use when sessioning with their students. She also asked me to write an ESL manual so future counselors have a better idea of what to expect for the job.
My second year in WSP has been easier in some ways but harder in others. It’s easier because I know what to do now; counseling is like second nature to me. However, during Fall Quarter 2011 I became pregnant with my first child. This life-altering experience has challenged me to grow drastically. In this time, WSP has functioned as a source of motivation for me: working here keeps me focused on my and my son’s futures. As my son has been growing, I have been slowly preparing myself to “retire” from WSP. I initially wanted to return my Senior year, but now I can’t; I have to take care of my son. Learning to let go has been very hard. The ESL/ELL position is like my baby. It’s hard to entrust it to someone else because, in a way, I created it. But like any parent has to do, I must let WSP grow up and be on its own, trusting that it’s in good hands.
Post submitted by Casey O’Neill
As the academic year closes, everyone on staff will be writing reflection pieces for the annual CPO History Book. We will share a different one each day this week. Enjoy!
Prompt: How has your involvement in CPO impacted you as a person. You may reflect upon situations that may have challenged or enhanced your personal beliefs, values, opinions, personality/characteristic development, etc.
The Community Programs Office (CPO) has definitely become my home away from home during my college experience. When I first started college, I became just one of thousands of ambitious freshman at UCLA. I felt lost in the flood of new students. I wasn’t doing well in my classes, and although I was very active in high school, I didn’t participate in any organizations or clubs during my first year. I simply accepted the fact that I was just another “average” student that wasn’t good enough to fulfill any of the dreams I once had in high school. My apathetic attitude towards my education spread like cancer until my whole outlook of my future, self-confidence, and inner strengths spiraled around one thought: I wasn’t good enough. I hadn’t even realized how far down I’d gone on this road of self-deprecation and unhappiness until the summer after my second year.
By some amazing chance, I was forwarded an application for CPO’s Leadership Internship. I applied for the internship even though I was wary of change and unfamiliar places. I figured I had nothing to lose. This one decision was the turning point on my path of self-discovery.
Although I didn’t get the internship, I got hired as a Front Desk Intern because anyone that seeks help from CPO will receive it. For once, I met people who really understood my struggles. I was so used to feeling like the bottom of every possible list that I hadn’t realized there were others who felt just like me. This departments’ whole purpose of existence was to help students holistically rather than just focusing on academics. I started to face my inner demons and began overcoming them by challenging myself to push beyond my limits. During my internship, I rebuilt my self-confidence and assurance that I WAS worthy. At the end of the summer, I seized the opportunity to become part of the Writing Success Program. My old self would have never taken the chance, but even just 12 weeks at CPO had transformed me into a more confident and assertive individual. WSP has given me so many opportunities to develop and grow. I was pushed in aspects of myself that I had no idea needed help. Professional skills, communication, leadership; all of these qualities were addressed. Over the past year, I’ve seen myself grow exponentially since that pivotal choice I made last summer. That one snippet of time when I decided to screw the unhappiness and the confusion I felt and just GO for the position at CPO was the best thing I have ever done for myself. For me, my first two years of college were spent closely staring at one brick of a supposed enormous wall of obstacles and hopelessness. But after taking that first dip into new waters, I realized that the wall wasn’t as unstoppable as I first thought. CPO has definitely shaped who I am today, and it’s a place where I will always look back to with fond memories after graduating.
Post Submitted by Lauren
Imagine you are going back to your high school and giving the students a speech about life, academics, success, hardship, identity and/or the pursuit of happiness. What would you tell them?
Adulthood; such a daunting thought. It’s an inevitable part of life, and for many people a place where they’re trying to sprint towards as fast as they can. Can you imagine finally not having a curfew, eating what you want to eat, or being with friends all day? You now have the power to be seen as an adult in the world’s eyes, and you can choose what to make of this privilege that has been given to you. College looms just around the corner, and I know I felt a mix of anxiety and anticipation at taking this next step of life. College means more than just receiving an education; it’s about getting more attuned to yourself and transforming into the person you’ve always wanted to be. It can be lonely at times, and I can guarantee that this bend in your journey through life can be the hardest hurdle you’ve ever faced. No longer will someone be there to constantly nag you to do this, do that. No longer can you unconditionally turn to that support system you’ve built up for years while growing up. It’s your time to step up and take that first step into carving a path you will make for yourself. I’m not trying to scare any of you, but I’ve always wished someone had told me that I should steel myself for this part of my life.
College doesn’t have to be a miserable experience. But it is inevitable that you’ll find yourself completely lost and without purpose at least once. Whether it’s because you got lost on the first day of class, or forced to reassess your life because you realized you hate the field you intended to go into, these experiences help you develop into someone you’re proud to be. High school doesn’t prepare you for the expectations that are set upon you once you go to college. But, it’s all about attitude and creating your own support system to get you by. I can speak from personal experience that it can take a lot longer than you expected to realize that growth is necessary to become successful in life.
I remember like it’s yesterday when I was sitting in your place, getting jittery to get that diploma in my hands. I remember sitting through the speeches thinking “when is this speaker going to end?” I remember I was so excited to “grow up” and go off into the “real world” once I graduated high school. The very thought of living on my own away from the influence of my parents was enough to get my excited about college. I grew up going to very diverse schools where I was actually part of the minority. I found myself more comfortable in a group where everyone was from everywhere and diversity was just a part of life rather than something to strive for. However, once I got to college I became just one of the thousands of ambitious freshman in the biggest class in history since UCLA’s beginning. I wasn’t doing well in my classes and although I was very active in high school, I wasn’t participating in any organizations or clubs during my first year in college. I kept giving myself excuses; “transitioning to college is always hard ,” “no one ever gets amazing grades first quarter,” “first year is always the hardest,” until eventually that’s all I was ever doing: giving excuses. I was starting to sell myself short, and settling to blaming external factors for the fact that I was so unsatisfied with myself. I just accepted the fact that I was just another “average” student that wasn’t good enough to fulfill any of the dreams I once had in high school. My apathetic attitude towards my education spread like a cancer to every thought I had until my whole outlook of my future, my self-confidence, my own strengths spiraled around one thought: I wasn’t good enough. I hadn’t even realized how far down I’ve gone on this road of self-deprecating thoughts and unhappiness until the summer after my second year. That summer was a turning point of my path of self-discovery. I had literally forgotten the person who I used to be; happy, ambitious, goal driven, and now I was so lost and confused that I felt that there was no possible way for the fog to lift. Then, I had the opportunity to get involved at a department on campus called the Community Programs Office. I applied for an internship there even though I was wary of change and unfamiliar places, but I figured I had nothing to lose and nothing to occupy my time during summer school. This one pivotal choice that in my eyes at the time was full of risk and unconventional started a chain of events that changed my entire college experience.
For once, there were people that I felt that really understood the struggles I was going through. I was so used to feeling like the bottom of every possible list that I hadn’t realized that there were others that felt just like me. This departments’ whole purpose of existence was to help students holistically rather than just focusing on academics. I started to face my own inner demons and trying to overcome them by challenging myself to push beyond my limits. Limits. Limits are a funny thing. They seem so concrete and unmoving, yet with just one choice, one small step outside the beaten path you can begin to see the webbed cracks on the supposed boundaries you’ve set on yourself. Taking that first step into becoming active in spaces outside academics, I began to rebuild my self-confidence and assurance that I WAS worthy. I was pushed in aspects of myself that I had no idea needed help. Professional skills, communication, leadership; all of these qualities were addressed. Over the past year, I’ve seen myself grow exponentially since that pivotal choice I made last summer. This one snippet of time when I decided to just skrew the unhappiness and the confusion going on my life and just GOING for it was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. It was like the world had just tilted just a tad, and now the preconceived notions I had for myself were actually not as true or final as I thought they were. For me, my first two years of college was spent closely staring at one brick of a supposed enormous wall of obstacles and hopelessness. But after taking that first risk, that first step to the side, I realized that the wall wasn’t as unstoppable as I first thought. One shift in perspective can change your whole view of the world and of yourself.
So what’s the point of my long spheal of my college experience? Take the risk. If an opportunity presents itself to you, just go for it! You have so much more to lose by not giving yourself the chance to push yourself to indulge in a new experience. Growth can come in waves if you just make that first dip into new waters. Your life has barely begun, and adulthood is just another step in your journey of self-discovery. Your age may state that you are now an adult, but you will never truly be mature without taking risks. Once you take that first reckless step, more opportunities will open up and in the words taken from my favorite book series Harry Potter, “You sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”
Now graduates of ________ High School, I leave you with this question. What would you do if you were at a crossroads; one continuing along a beaten familiar path that you might not necessarily be happy with but you’ve been walking down for a while now, and the other that has sprung up before you for a split second. While it’s full of uncertainty and the promises aren’t guaranteed, would you go for it? The answer may seem simple now, but actually facing this decision is a daunting task. Just remember that challenges shouldn’t be taken negatively. How would you ever know if an opportunity for growth awaits for you in a seemingly simple decision unless you take that first step by committing? So, live life pushing your limits, growing, and blossoming into the adult you’ve always wanted to be.
Written by Lauren
”turn over a new leaf”
IDIOM
To begin anew; to change one’s ways: “Since he was grounded, Larry has turned over a new leaf and does his homework ever night.”
As a science major myself, I have seen plenty of students who came in as a science major switch to another major by their second year in college. A variety of reasons have been attributed to a student’s sudden change of heart. “The chemistry classes were too hard.” “It’s too competitive.” “I found my passion in another field.” Here is an interesting article that analyzes some of the reasons why so many science majors decided to switch during their college careers, and some programs that did find success in increasing their retention of science students.
Short excerpt from article:
Lecture classes are far cheaper to produce, and top professors are focused on bringing in research grants, not teaching undergraduates. In 2005, the National Academy of Engineering concluded that “scattered interventions” had not resulted in widespread change. “Treating the freshman year as a ‘sink or swim’ experience and accepting attrition as inevitable,” it said, “is both unfair to students and wasteful of resources and faculty time.”
To continue click here
Post submitted by Lauren
Chapter one of You Have the Power, titled “Kathryn’s Cry” challenges the long-founded idea that fear is an indicator of the presence of a danger that we must run away from. Instead, co-author Jeffrey Perkins indicates that fear isn’t a sign that something’s wrong, but a signal that we are on the right track and should push forward through our fears. He argues that in order to understand that “ ‘fear means to listen closely’ requires first that we recognize fear is actually what’s motivating us.” (31) Perkins points out that we must first realize that fear doesn’t exist to deter us, but in fact is a way to spur ourselves to do something new.
Perkins uses a personal anecdote about his experience with his infant niece in order to give life to the message he wishes to give his readers. He explains that although he knew his niece Kathryn could only communicate through crying, he felt a pang of fear every time he couldn’t understand what was wrong. He eventually learned to take his fear and use it as motivation to search for all the possible reasons Kathyrn would need his attention. His own experience as well as those of others gives support to the idea that fear shouldn’t stop us from seeking out the answers to our questions. “Fear is pure energy;” one that can be manipulated into something bigger and greater than what we could have ever done if we had given in to the temptation to give up. (41)
Perkins’ message is one that not enough people in the world have come to recognize. Being a college student, I experience fears daily when reminded that I still am uncertain of what I will be doing after I graduate. Instead of letting that fear stifle me and hold me down, I should use it as a pathway to better myself and discover what the world has in store for me with a positive attidude. Everyone experiences fears, but it’s how you approach your fear that sets you apart from the norm. I wonder if we don’t allow ourselves to push our limits because of the general concensus that the world has gotten more dangerous. If the whole world were to view fear as an indicator to sprint forward, how would the world be today?
Post submitted by Lauren
Inflexible
–adjective
1. not flexible; incapable of or resistant to being bent; rigid: an inflexible steel rod.
2. of a rigid or unyielding temper, purpose, will, etc.; immovable: an inflexible determination.
3. not permitting change or variation; unalterable: inflexible rules
