Gold Stars free essay sample

A successful student. Every school wants more than one of them. But what does it mean to be successful? The dictionary says success is â€Å"the accomplishment of an aim; a triumph.† The small, private school I attended until I was fifteen defined a successful student as one who fit into their handmade mold. I never could fit. Being a Nebraska-bred child, I grew up with bigoted views and principles branded into my mind. Act like this. Don’t support that. Become like the person next to you. Like any child who did not know better, I worked hard to stay in line. I played sports, because being athletic is important. I did my best in school, because intelligence is impressive. I made time for friends, because having a plethora of friends is healthy. All of those gold stars I earned for fitting in were nothing but a lie. I truthfully enjoyed sports, doing well in school, and having friends, but it wasn’t all I was. We will write a custom essay sample on Gold Stars or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I wasn’t quite sure who I was, until my perfect bubble was popped, and my father announced we were moving to South Florida. Of course, I was against it. I was supposed to finish my high school years with my childhood friends. I was supposed to be conditioning all summer so I would have a chance at making the varsity volleyball team. I was supposed to keep doing well in school. My two brothers, my parents, and I packed up our gold stars and started the long drive from Lincoln, Nebraska, to Parkland, Florida. Once we had crossed over into Kansas, it was as if I could feel the bubble pop, not like a soap bubble, seemingly disappearing; but like a balloon, loud and messy, leaving pieces of torn bubble all over the floor. The first day of my sophomore year came. My first day as â€Å"the new kid.† I went through my usual routine of primping myself for school, brushing my hair, dressing in my favorite outfit, sticking on my gold stars. For some reason, the stars wouldn’t stick. Maybe it was just the material of my shirt. So I changed my outfit, finding something that might help the stars stay on better. They still wouldn’t stick. Suddenly, I knew-; this was the year I was going to stop minimizing myself to fit in a mold. I went to my closet, for a third time, and pulled out the outfit I had bought some time ago in Nebraska, but had never actually worn because it didn’t look like my friends’ clothes. Finally, I felt like me. No longer was I going to let a privileged, small town school tell me who I was supposed to be. I wasn’t like them, not at all. I liked living in Florida, a melting pot of fascinating cultures and ideas. I had even found something I loved mo re than becoming popular: writing. Words were so beautiful to me, and I couldn’t stop putting them together again and again to see what they would create. I knew it from the beginning, but refused to admit it: I never could fit. I want to be a successful student. I have aims and goals to reach, and I know that I can do it. I’m not interested in being a gold star student, or a perfect fit. I want to be a successful student by staying true to myself.

Word Choice Coarse vs. Course

Word Choice Coarse vs. Course Word Choice: Coarse vs. Course The words â€Å"coarse† and â€Å"course† sound exactly the same. They’re also similar written down. And as such, we understand why people get these terms confused. But these words also have very different meanings. So to make sure you use them correctly, check out our guide to what they mean. Coarse (Rough or Harsh) The word â€Å"coarse† is an adjective that means â€Å"rough† or â€Å"harsh.† We therefore use it to describe the texture or feeling of something: The coarse fabric rubbed against his skin. We also say that something is â€Å"coarse† when it is made of large, loose particles. If we say that soil is â€Å"coarse,† for instance, we mean that it is loosely packed and made up of larger clumps. We also say that language or behavior is â€Å"coarse† when it is rude or impolite: Her coarse language caused uproar at the funeral. This is a bit old-fashioned, but you will still see it used like this sometimes. Course as a Noun The word â€Å"course† is usually a noun (i.e., a word that names or stands for something). This term can actually have a few different meanings, including: A process of development (e.g., The course of history†¦) A route or path of movement (e.g., The blimp changed course†¦) An ongoing medical treatment (e.g., A course of painkillers†¦) A set of classes (e.g., A college course†¦) Part of a meal (e.g., A three-course meal†¦) An area over which something extends (e.g., Water course†¦) And while these definitions are quite varied, â€Å"course† is a noun in each case. Course as a Verb â€Å"Course† can also be a verb (i.e., an action word). In this case, it usually means â€Å"flow quickly.† For example, we may say a river â€Å"courses† through a valley. A river coursing. It can also be used to mean â€Å"chase,† particularly to hunt something with dogs. These uses are rare compared to the noun definitions above, but they are still worth remembering. Coarse or Course? The trick here is to focus on â€Å"coarse,† which has one main meaning (i.e., â€Å"rough† or â€Å"harsh†). Importantly, this means â€Å"coarse† is always an adjective. As such, if you need a word that modifies a noun, it will always be â€Å"coarse.† â€Å"Course,† meanwhile, can be either a noun or a verb. So if you need a word for a thing or an action, it will be â€Å"course.† Remember: Coarse is an adjective meaning â€Å"harsh† or â€Å"rough.† As a noun, course can be many things, including a process, a route, an ongoing medical treatment, a set of classes, or part of a meal. As a verb, course means to flow quickly. And if you’d like anyone to check the word usage in your writing, let us know.

Group Decision Making Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Group Decision Making - Term Paper Example Thus, in cases where decision making involves technical aspects, tools and applications come in handy to the group members, whereas in situations that warrants identifying potential issues and challenges, brainstorming and discussions play an important role. How do groups arrive at decisions that are mutually understood and accepted? What are the different dimensions involved in the group decision making process? These are some of the questions addressed in this paper that illustrates the dynamics of group decision making through practical insights and examples. Group dynamics and decision making process Groups comprising of number of individuals provide an effective platform for enhancing performance at workplace or achieving common goals and objectives that form the primary reason for forming a group. Working in a group is riddled with challenges since individuals from different backgrounds, attitude and opinion come together to work towards common goals (O’Connell & Cuthber tson, 2009). Coordination and cooperation among the group members can be challenging since arriving at a single decision requires mutual understanding and empathy between the group members. The diversity in opinion, outlook and perspective clash at each stage of the decision making process – thereby causing conflict and failure to arrive at a single decision. However, the benefits associated to working in groups cannot be undermined since collaborative ventures can be more fruitful and have expanded potentials in terms of achieving the desired outcomes (foundation coalition, 2011). In order to overcome these challenges decision making process within groups is guided by certain norms and statutes that help the group in arriving at a decision. The effectiveness of decision making in groups is realized in the fact that an individual could not have taken the decision alone, the decision provides a perfect solution to the problem, the decision is based on unbiased inputs provided by group members and contributes to the group objectives (foundation coalition, 2011). Johnson and Johnson in their book (2009) describe five distinct methods of decision making that include decision making by authority, decision making by majority, decision making by minority, decision making by expert and decision making by consensus. Among these methods decision making by expert and consensus are widely used in most scenarios. Group discussions and problem solving processes in groups are often presided by experts who can provide their valuable opinion and views in context that helps the group in making the final decision. Often the expert is one of the members of the groups and in some cases an external individual might be consulted or asked to preside over the discussions to enable the group to take judicious decisions. However, the primary challenge in this decision making approach lies in identifying a key member of the group or external individual who is acknowledged as an ex pert in the given context by all members of the group. â€Å"Group members who do not view the expert as an authority may be reluctant to implement the recommended decision† (O’Connell & Cuthbertson, 2009). Decision making by group consensus is commonly applied in teams working towards common goals and objectives. The term consensus implies that all members of th