Ashley Sere

College 1
Professor Ribeiro (F, 2-5)
06 December 2014
Successes and Failures Reflections
Our successes and failures do not necessarily define who we are, but it can define how we make
our choices. It is important to reflect on our successes and failures and learn from them, because it can
influence future choices we make. There were many experiences this semester that have made me
understand a lot more about the choices I have made. There were also choices that I had made that created
minor setbacks. However, I was able to learn from them and progress towards my initial goals. In my
English class, I had felt accomplished when I had scored well on all my essays. Back in my midterm
reflection, I mentioned how poorly I did in my environmental science midterm test. However, I was able
to raise my grade up by taking more notes and participating in class. From these experiences, it has taught
me to learn more about condensing my essays and relevance in essays. Towards the end of the semester,
my first semester of college has taught me that everyone can reach their goals, because we all have the
capabilities of having a critical mindset and determination. We can utilize campus resources and our
successes and failures to help us create critical mindsets.
Successful experiences can often make one feel accomplished and proud. Some of my successful
experiences happen in my English class. I was able to obtain three As out of four of the essays that we
were assigned. Through the course, I was able to accomplish these successes with the help of my
professor. He would often negotiate with the students and would try to clarify each passage with open
discussions. He would also provide us with Rough Draft Days where he would help us proofread our
essays individually. I admired how he would be open to change and would discuss which part we were
confused on and needed to fix. One of the essays that I am most proud of was on education and schooling.
From this essay, I learned that it is important to engage, problem-pose, and reflect on the world. This

experience has also taught me that I should not be afraid to ask for help, because most professors are there
to provide more guidance than disapproval.
In my midterm reflection, I reflected on how poorly I did on my environmental science midterm
exam. Although I received a low score on my exam, I was able to raise my grade up from then. From an
86%, I was able to raise my grade to 90% through rigorous note taking and participation. I also decided I
needed to socialize more with my classmates in order to fully engage in the concepts. I shouldnt be afraid
to ask for help, because people may be confused on the same concept too. As a result, I participated more
in class by stating my opinion and creating an open discussion with the teacher and myself. I was more
successful than how I was prior to midterm week, because I raised my grade up by about 4%. Through
this process, I learned that it is important to express my concerns and opinion with others. I have also
learned that I often let fear overpower my control over voicing my unconscious thoughts and opinions
about the matter. Nevertheless, I can overcome this fear by reminding myself that others may be fearful as
well. As long as we continue to create this barrier of fear, fear will overtake open discussions.
Our successful experiences and least successful experiences can help us figure out more about
ourselves. For example, in my English class, succeeding in articulating my essays has helped me
understand more about engagement and problem posing. It has helped me to understand my strengths in
comprehension. In my environmental science class, I was also able to understand a lot more about not
letting fear overtake my capabilities of asking for help and voicing my opinion on the matter. Our
strategies can change our perspectives and promote critical awareness. From these experiences, we should
not let our failures and successes define us. We should instead let them motivate us into being more
critical and aware in our world. With open discussion and compassion, we can be able to understand other
people and issues more, which can lead us all to succeeding our goals.