My first semester of college went by in a highly unexpected fashion. There were things I wanted to do but could not, and things I did not want to do but had to. Regardless, the first half of my first year will always be a pivotal memory for me. As much as I could not accomplish given the circumstances of 2020, I can proudly say I did more than I expected.
My Leadership 101 course was one of the many causes for my change in character over the semester. I insisted on the “Women Directors” course at the beginning of the year, intrigued by the lesson plan, final project, and overall purpose for my college experience. I can confirm I made the right choice.
“Women Directors” enlightened me with a myriad of films done by women–most of whom I had never heard of before–and educated me further on historical feminism within the creative world. As an artist and producer, the course was definitely an essential experience. Aside from teaching me more about the minds of women whose footsteps I hope to follow, the course has trained me to see films in a new light overall. This was done by having my classmates and I decode hidden meanings in films from their cinematography, music, and actors’ expressions. Researching the backgrounds and motives of filmmakers gave me a deeper understanding of the films I watched. Now, I find myself instinctively looking into the productions of films I see regularly.
Along with the films I watched in this course, presenting and discussing its assignments affected my outlook on the class. I picked up techniques and rhythms for public speaking: keeping productive energy going in a group, making others feel comfortable when paired with me, understanding I cannot control everything and it is normal to not know all of the answers, being courageous and giving my input, and tracking how much I speak so as to allow others a chance to voice their thoughts.
My efficiency in Digital Literacy also improved due to this course and the others I took in the semester. Zoom Meetings were very uncomfortable in the beginning of the year, but there were positives to being closer to my laptop screen than to my peers. The distance forced me to (a) adapt to new softwares quicker, (b) grow more aware of the tools I have online, and (c) remember that everyone has had a different pandemic experience than mine. It is better to empathize than scrutinize.
One of the members of my team was very silent with the rest of us, and we always checked in on her rather than tried to force her to work with us. In regards to my other teammates, my work with them promoted my flexibility from switching roles amongst ourselves, my understanding of when to step in to direct our team, and my ability to consider other people’s ideas. It was nice to work with people of different skill sets than mine, and I have learned that just because someone thinks differently than someone else, it does not mean they cannot work efficiently together.
Overall, this course taught me that to lead, one must know how to follow, empathize, and recognize that everyone thinks differently. That is a lesson I will not soon forget.
