Personal Responsibility Essay

Personal Responsibility: Draft One Dictionary.com defines “responsibility” as: the state or fact of being answerable or accountable for something within one’s power, control, or management.” Therefore, I can only conclude that “personal responsibility” can best be defined as: being held accountable for your own success through decisions and actions which affect one or more areas of your life. The direct relationship between personal responsibility and college success involves the student being responsible for attendance, completion of assignments, and dedication to studying materials, even outside of the classroom. Attendance is one of the main responsibilities that many students come to neglect over time. Students who become ill may miss a few classes, which is not a crime, nor is it unreasonable. However, it becomes a problem if skipping classes becomes habitual. Many students find themselves overwhelmed by the level of work and demands that their jobs and classes require of them. On top of job related and school related work are the stresses of everyday life—personal relationships, bills, commute, etc. Some students may be inclined to take a “mental day” off from school due to these combination of stresses. Missing even one or two classes can cause a major impact on grades, as the student will miss important lectures, reviews or tests/quizzes. (What does this mean in a five-week, accelerated program like at Phoenix?) Other distractions can arise that affect attendance, such as deciding between spending the day with friends, or spending the day studying for that exam you have tomorrow. It is the student’s personal responsibility to make the choice to attend class on a regular basis, only missing classes when it is absolutely necessary. The student must be dedicated and assume personal responsibility in making the choice to attend each and every class. Assignments are not always fun, but they are the key to learning materials that will be included on tests. (or, that is necessary for building competencies and skills) Even when there is another activity that seems more enjoyable than homework or completing a project, the student should try tactics that will keep them focused on their work. For example, they can be sure that all distractions (television, games, etc.) are out of sight and unable to be heard. Good specifics. Sometimes, not even this is enough—a student can become distracted by Facebook and other entertainment sites when doing research online. A student should mark down assignments, due dates and quizzes/tests in a planner so that they are not forgotten or overlooked. This will also help the student with managing his/her time so that they can schedule time for assignment completion and studying. My plan that I have used over the years in order to succeed has been to stay focused and on task when I am studying and completing assignments for classes. I do my best to attend each and every class, unless there is an emergency or another reasonable excuse for not going to class. I have a planner in which I log all of my important quiz/test/exam dates, as well as any project due dates; I also use the same planner for daily tasks that need completed, so that I can plan on when I should do which tasks. Good specifics. I make sure that I make time to complete assignments that need turned in and I make sure that I have them ready for submission. Personal responsibility involves planning and making the choice to dedicate yourself to your education. This may sometimes include refusing an invitation to hang out with friends or it may involve coaching yourself to complete your projects/assignments and to attend each class. Attendance, assignment completion, studying and time management are all important in your college success plan. This is all a fine example of what it means to be personally responsible for your success; if you are not successful, then it is no one’s fault save your own.

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