Hixson Blog #11
In class this week, we talked about ethics and strategy for good practice. There was something particularly awesome about the presentation of this chapter in the Hixson book... might have been the presenters or something but who knows... Anyway, the lesson focused on dealing with situations in which there may or may not be an obvious "right" answer. These situations involve dealing with alcohol, professionalism, and relationships as a small subset of potentially difficult decision-making situations.
One of the hardest parts of freshmen year to me was figuring out what was the right thing to be doing. As a freshmen, I really had no guiding compass other than the beliefs and values I carried over from my parents and pre-college life. At times, college can be a quite adept at putting new students into situations where knowing the right thing to do may or may not be apparent. College can often confuse one's moral compass. I was in environments in which I had never been in and some of them I wish I hadn't. I believe, after looking back, I made correct and ethical decisions most of the time. But, I could have used a lecture or a reading like this past weeks to help me think of all the consequences and outcomes of the decisions I make. I never thought about potential employers looking at my facebook a few years ago or my thoughts were never about anything more than what lie a weekend away. I truly hope that I can use this lecture in my seminar next year to maybe even help one student make a potentially life-altering decision for the better.
I definitely agree that as a freshman I could have used a bit more of a guide on ethics. Hopefully we can do that as peer mentors!
ReplyDeleteI agree that freshman year was a ethical compass mishap! There are times, looking back, that I can just see my mother shaking me for the choices I made. At the same time those choices have taught me things I now know. I can still remember sometimes where all moral red flags were flying. The best you can do is learn from them and teach others not to make the same mistakes you did.
ReplyDeleteI think what gives Hixson freshman the advantage over others is that they are exposed to us, their peer mentors, who have made both mistakes and good decisions leading us to the successful people we are today. None of us are perfect and we will always be making mistakes, but I think our exposure to the environments and knowledge of the ethical ways to solve problem situations will help students have a clearer idea of how to navigate their own freshman year.
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