A Personal Growth Assignment for College Students
Recently I created an assignment for my online speech classes that I think is simple and light, yet at the same time inspiring and valuable.
Here it is (short and sweet):
Assignment: Journal Entry about Managing Anxiety
This assignment has 3 steps:
- Watch the video Rethinking Stress: Why Stress Mindsets Matter- ft. Kelly McGonigalLinks to an external site.
- Read the preview of the book The Upside of Stress by Kelly McGonigalLinks to an external site. on Amazon.com
- Reflect on your stress levels related to this class and presenting a speech. Write a journal entry (5-6 sentences) on how the ideas in the video and book preview/excerpt will help you change your mindset.
After I created it, I kind of fell in love with it.
I’m loving how small but mighty it is, the response I’ve received from students, and (I think this might be my favorite part) that it’s so versatile- I can share this with every college instructor I know and they could all adapt it to their own online or face-to-face classes, regardless of what course they teach.
Since I’ve added it to my online speech course, I’ve been inspired to sign up for a new faculty development course at one of my schools titled ‘Mindfulness Tools for Educators,’ and I’ve also been skimming through some books related to student anxiety: The Upside of Stress and Mind Over Monsters, and I’ve been revisiting one I read last year, Mind Your Mindset. My hope is that over winter break I’ll get some uninterrupted time to slow down and give these books some extra attention.
Before I go on, I wanted to include why I see the value in this small and simple assignment. I believe this assignment/journal entry addresses (at the very beginning of the term- when it’s most important) some of the biggest obstacles that college students face: not understanding the impact that stress/nerves/mindset can have on their performance in any class. I think students tend to feel immense stress throughout college but don’t understand it or know what to do with it. They might try to reduce stress or complain about it, but they rarely try to reframe it.
I’m always surprised by how turned off some students are by the idea of taking my online interpersonal or public speaking classes. It doesn’t matter how friendly I seem or how supportive I strive to make the online environment, there are always one or two students who don’t want to be there- and they’re not afraid to email me about it (and I believe these feelings are rooted in fear and stress).
I’m hoping that by adding a light journal entry with one additional anxiety/life hack (and an encouraging video and reading), that those unexcited students will at least start to consider how a changed perspective might help turn things around and change their experience as a speaker in my class and as a student in college.
So that’s the hope.
Last thing here. I want to share some of my favorite excerpts from my own students’ journal entries (with their permission):
“Overall, McGonigal’s message is assisting me in reshaping my perspective on stress, transforming it from a negative to a tremendous instrument for personal growth and resilience.”
“McGonigal’s advice on embracing stress rather than fearing it encourages me to channel that energy toward a more confident and clear delivery. Moving forward, I’ll remind myself that stress is a natural part of growth and can be a tool to improve my performance in this class.”
“I normally become really nervous before public speaking, fearing that my nerves would stand in the way of presenting an effective presentation. However, McGonigal’s research suggests that stress may truly be a source of strength, giving me with focus and energy if I learn to accept it. Rather than attempting to calm myself down or avoid stress altogether, I may use the adrenaline of stress to improve my performance and stay more engaged.”
“I will no longer see my nervousness before a speech as a problem, but as a way my body is preparing to help me succeed. This shift in perspective could change the way I manage my anxiety and stress when speaking in public.”
“I did enjoy this assignment. I never heard this point of view of managing stress. I found this assignment very helpful in coming to terms that it’s alright be stressed, let’s use it to move forward instead of stopping. I also rewatched the video with a friend because I thought it was good enough to share!”
“This mindset shift allows me to make a connection with others, knowing they are in a similar position with me, and that I’m not alone in these situations. By accepting stress as a part of my life, I can approach challenges with more strength and kindness toward myself. I’ll be using this mindset in both my school and daily life moving forward.”
“Now knowing these powerful facts about how stress can affect us, I will definitely try to be more mindful about spiraling and getting worked up over being stressed because I now understand stress is a part of life and it’s nothing to feel shame or frustration over.”
So there you have it. If you’d like to borrow the journal assignment to use in your ‘Start Here’ or ‘Getting Started’ module for your course, please do so! I’ve also been considering adding a final journal entry (in the very last course module) that asks students to revisit what they learned from the first journal assignment and how it ended up helping them throughout the semester (I’ll include it on the site if/when I decide to do that!).
Happy teaching and happy learning.