Week 6 Journal Entry


**Rant**

This week was easier on the workload, which I was very grateful for! I ended up with a pretty bad cold. I was so fatigued that I slept for most of the day on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday I got up, took care of the assignments due for Wednesday night, and then went back to bed. Thursday, I showered, got out of my pajamas, and started cramming for the very difficult assignment in my other class due on Saturday. I regret that I wasn't able to get more work done for either class. Next week will be even more difficult, with the final project and exam due Wednesday for my 7-week block class, "Cash Flow".  I had a 97 until this week. The assignment that we had this week was an application, and I wasn't supposed to get help from other students or the teacher. Not that I could anyway, I rarely get responses from the teacher, and have no contacts in the class. I asked the teacher for a meeting, per instructions in the syllabus and announcements. He responded by asking when I wanted to meet, then didn't respond back to my reply. For the past five weeks, we have been taught one formula/equation to find 'accounts payable', then this week we have a hint on using a new formula, that has no direction to it. I tried to google different ways to use formulas for accounts payable and found nothing. I think the change is an attempt for higher-level applications to demonstrate understanding. But what it's really like is being taught how to "solve an equation for x", then on the test being asked to "solve for y and graph it".  I turned it in with my best work, mistakes, and incomplete after spending 16 hours on one assignment, and I am hoping for a 70% on it.  At this point, I'm not even sure what I am learning or have learned. I'm sorry that I took that class. 

**Something that I've learned about myself with regard to my learning** 

I recognize that I learn through watching a demonstration, then doing, then teaching. Reading various websites and articles for definitions of terms and formulas, then being expected to be able to teach them in a discussion, then applying them to problems in worksheets just isn't working for me. If I want to go back to review something, I have no idea where I had come across something in the 10-15 articles and videos that I read/watched that week in preparation for the assignment. I struggle some with that in this class too. I will be writing for an assignment and I can't quote, but I paraphrase poorly something "that I read in one of the articles this week".


What did I learn from the "So you want to be an entrepreneur" videos and articles this week?

1. Startups can consume you and suck you dry because they can take 24/7 of your time. If you do have a family, create boundaries. Set aside or carve out time for family and relationships. 

I might have heard that every week so far. :) Not a problem for me., I'm not in danger of pursuing any startups! I've been a mom 24/7 for 20 of the past 22 years. I'm setting up boundaries with my family, teaching them that they can be more independent without access to mom 24/7 because she is YW president and taking classes online too. 

2. How Entrepreneurs Craft Strategies that Work

They don't spend exhaustive hours performing market analysis. They are in tune with the field, recognize an opportunity, and take a (measured) risk. They know that being overly cautious, doing an overly long analysis, and creating a perfect strategy might make them miss the opportunity, so they take the opportunity that has presented itself. This resonated with me because it reflects more how we manage things here at our house. More intuitive, not as much strategic planning, though some planning.


Well, that's all for now!


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