Back in January, we were challenged to think about who we wanted to become and throughout the term, we continued to dive deeper. Now as we near the end of grade 10 we have revisited this question with the intention to consider what might be a possible end destination, career-wise. In turn, we then had to figure out the roadmap to get there. For example, we had to self-assess our strengths and research what post-secondary options might align with our skills and passions. Although this was time-consuming it was valuable because without a vision you can easily get lost and overwhelmed.
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Prior to this assignment I never realized the significant difference between hard skills and soft skills. Now I have the understanding that hard skills are knowledge based, concrete abilities, whereas soft skills are personal traits that make us who we are. The latter shape how we communicate, problem solve and adapt. Part of my growth came from the quizzes which helped me understand that my strengths are in the area of soft skills. Previously I felt discouraged because my assumption was I had to be good at knowing pure content. For example, I always compare myself to people who excelled in math or coding. Now my belief has shifted to see the value in having abilities that align with soft skills. The quiz results go me right on the nose. They showed that I prefer to work in teams, that I am on the creative side, and that I favour flexibility with deadlines and projects more than strict guidelines. I would say my top 3 strengths would be collaboration, adaptability and creativity.
Having a high level of self awareness allows you to go into situations knowing what you can do and not being defeated by what you can’t which is something that I am working on. These quizzes reminded me not to be so hard on myself simply because I can’t code a game or all that jazz. After all, everyone has different strengths and stretches.
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A fun yet scary part of this project was where you had to sell yourself to your “employers” dragon’s den style. We had to create a 7-minute pitch talking about what we brought to the table. I chose to highlight what I feel the top 3 qualities that I have, collaboration, adaptability and creativity. When I was writing my pitch I was able to take in how much I have grown over my high school years. Again, I started to compare myself, wondering if I had enough volunteer experience under my belt. But when I was thinking of what examples to use, I realized I have a lot of experiences to be proud of like being an outdoor school counsellor, volunteering at the Deep Cove market every year and more. These experiences have allowed me to hone my collaboration skills and grow in areas like my leadership abilities.
(My friends and I running a booth for Seycove Sweet’s back in November)
Since our pitch was inspired by Dragons Den, obviously we needed dragons! Luckily many PLP student’s parents stepped up to the task. Per usual, I was nervous to present but that’s to be expected, but I had practiced a lot and felt prepared. I brought along my cue cards and my script on the side just in case I lost my spot. However, right when I entered the room I realized I wouldn’t have the ability to check my script and I would have to rely on my 2 cue cards that I wrote very little on. Great way to start! Luckily I gathered my thoughts and I shook the dragon’s hands and I was off. My start was solid and thanks to the many times I have had to present I maintained good eye contact, used a clear voice and expression and it seemed to be going fine. Unfortunately once I hit the middle I started tripping on my words, there was a big pause where I couldn’t remember what I was going to say. Looking back I should have just taken a breath. So I could center myself instead of saying the exact things I was trying not to say but in the end I got very kind feedback. 
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PLP challenges me because I always learn something valuable through each presentation, whether it’s about the how to prepare or present myself. I can definitely say this experience was highly worthwhile and valuable. It gave me the time and space to be introspective and think about my possible future and best self. I have a better understanding of my skills and how it’s not always about the content. Also, now I have a clearer idea of the criteria or qualifications for the field of graphic design which means I have a much clearer idea of that road map which is…
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