2nd Semester CPET Final Reflection PDF

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Elijah Kaufman CPET 101 12 May, 2021

Final Reflection

When I enrolled at UMD, I was expecting to have the typical, college freshman experience. Go to basketball games, attend field trips, and meet new friends. Oh how I was mistaken. I see myself as a social person. I thrive on tactile human interaction. I grew up with a single parent that worked long hours, so I would spend lots of time by myself. This has instilled a hunger in me for attention, and this was not fulfilled from my first year in college. I am disappointed I lost out on my social experience, but I still did gain a lifelong lesson from our COVID-19 curriculum. From making sure I kept up on individual and group assignments, to taking responsibility with the choices I make regarding sustainability and food sources, this year has taught me the importance of accountability.

Coming into Scholars, and subsequently ETE, I had no idea what I was signing up for. I initially joined this program because I have been told to partake in any high level academic program I was offered. Even though I joined for this reason, I stayed because of how much ETE has molded my view of sustainable living and our interaction with the environment. My two biggest learning points from this course were alternative farming methods, and the future of our food. From carbon capture technologies and all natural farming, to lab grown meats and 3D printed food, ETE has enlightened me on how our interaction with food sources must change to

sustain our planet. The documentary Kiss the Ground was the most influential activity we did. Being shown the higher efficiency of organic farming and the effectiveness of no till farming was fascinating, but also seeing a lack of racial diversity in the farming industry showed the food industry still suffers from embedded racial norms. My acceptance of these new practices and technologies directly correlates to the availability of food and the health of our environment. Besides from ETE specifically, other classes that have benefited me greatly were ECON 201 and BMGT 289A. In my spare time, I day trade. ECON 201 has bettered my understanding of how government policies affect my investments which has increased my control of my financials. BMGT 289A has shown me the importance of having a social aspect in business ventures. Making a profit is great, but improving the quality of our society/environment has more payoff. All of these learning experiences have morphed my outlook on the world. I now feel more empowered to make smart, environmentally conscious investments/decisions that have social aspects or work to improve food sustainability.

If I knew my first year of college would be online, I probably would have waited a year. After experiencing distance learning though, I still got significant value. Online learning impacted my personal experience through my structured learning style. Throughout my academic career, I have become accustomed to a daily routine. For instance, I would always do homework after football practice in high school. With the flexibility of online learning, you can decide whenever to do work. This allows one to get work done early, or procrastinate. I am a natural procrastinator, so leaving it up to my own mental schedule to decide when to complete work was challenging. Deciding between a Netflix show or an exercise set was a struggle for me. At times this year, I found myself behind on projects. Eventually though, it clicked. At the beginning of

the second semester, I was fed up with always lagging behind. To avoid guilt from not doing my part of a group project or completing homework, I committed to always getting my work done early. This sense of accountability allowed me to succeed academically, which I am not sure I would’ve gained from a traditional school year.

As I look back at this year of schooling later in life, besides being the most unique, was how it showed me to take responsibility for my actions. From making sure I get work done for my own or group’s sake, to making sure I am picking food that progresses the health of our environment, this year showed me the importance of accountability. All you can ever control is your own actions. I will use this to drive my future career, but also relationship with food as it relates to sustainable living....