This term’s work experience has prepared me for employment after graduation in a variety of different ways that will impact me both in a matter of advancing my skills in web development and in a matter of life skills. The idea of being employed during a pandemic that had led to thousands of layoffs and unemployment leaves me feeling both thankful for the DREAM Lab and leaves me feeling more positive than I was going into my Spring quarter.
Among the wide range of ‘life skills’ I had prior to Spring Term, one ‘life skill’ I definitely added to my list was being able to be motivated, even if the world surrounding me is crumbling down and also the skill of being able to make the best out of any situation by staying positive and being prepared for the worst-case scenario. I would have never expected that I could have done this job remotely. However, the management team worked to find a solution to keep us all employed and productive, which inspired me to take this aspect on life, and keep in mind that there is a solution to every problem and also taught me that anything is possible, which are all concepts that will heavily stick with me after graduation as I begin my job search. By having these skills now, it will allow me to feel less fearful, more motivated, thankful for what I have, and most importantly, to keep an open mind throughout every situation and scenario, as nothing is permanent and anything can be changed into a positive or negative situation depending on how you choose to go about the situation.
Aside from being able to add to my ‘life skills’, I also was able to add to my technical skills. One of my many interests in life includes technology, which is something that is constantly developing, improving, and changing. As I have already taken several different approaches to technology, one of the skills I was lacking was my web development side of technology. I had coding experience with Python and Javascript, which are platforms that some may use for web development. By having these added skills with WordPress and Divi, it allows me to gain inspiration for design ideas and things I may want to code with Javascript and Python, while also having the simple accessibility to build a website for a future business or future employer within a shorter timeframe than coding it together. I can now take my coding experience combined with the new web development experience I have in the big world after graduation and use them to make a change and impact the world. I am such a big person on activism and making the world a better place and by having the skills to put together a website is so meaningful for these purposes. Overall, these technical and life skills have impacted me as a person so immensely and I will take these with me into the future, whether it’s in my work life or my personal life. I truly believe that this term has made me a better human in both a knowledgeable way and as a person as a whole. I have realized my capabilities and have the newfound motivation to grow as a person and teach my newly learned skills to others surrounding me.