Fact: I am part of the majority of upperclassmen in the SOJC struggling to complete a slew of final projects and piece together a portfolio of some sort. During these times of high stress, I need to remind myself of the following things:
1. You will survive, somehow.
2. This is not just busy work, you are creating useful professional resources
3. You are learning more than any test could teach you.
While some of these might sound a bit trite, take a second and let these assertions sink in. It is all to easy to become frustrated with seemingly pointless assignments, but when I really reflect on my work, I can find the value in all of it. Take, for instance, the PR plan and presentation due last Wednesday in my J 453 – Strategic Planning & Cases class. The project ended up being around 25 pages. When I prepared an actual media relations plan for an Allen Hall Public Relations client, it was 2 pages so that the client had a concise vision of the campaign. I highly doubt that my post-college job will have me prepare a 10-part plan for a company as large as Dannon yogurt, but I suppose it’s the guiding principles of the project that I will take away with me to an internship in Los Angeles this summer. I know that academic work can feel monotonous, tedious, and inapplicable to real life scenarios, but it’s important to remember the bigger picture. Many professionals preach the insignificance of grades, but for short-term purposes, percentage breakdowns control my life.
Good luck with finals everyone! I know we can do it, just remember the big picture and try to find the value in all your assignments, it makes them easier.
Strategically Communicating 
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