Earning a degree in psychology means so much to me. It means I am earning a degree in something I am passionate about. Graduating means I will have achieved one of my life-long goals of learning about something I love. This degree means so much more though, such as my effort, hard work, and the struggles I faced while pursuing my degree. It also represents the adversity I faced!
During my academic career, I have learned that my education is something I value very much and is something that can't be taken away from me. Almost graduating and somewhat relieved to be done, but at the same time I'm considering other opportunities such as continuing my education further.
Psychology is something I think about on a daily basis. From a young age I always wanted to understand why people thought a certain way, what motivated them, and why they do the things they do. Some people want to understand how things work or function, but I want to understand how humans think and function.
The humanistic theory is one of my favorite theories. This theory is focuses on making a person feel worthwhile. I practice this on a daily basis, not only with myself, but with the people in my life. Abraham Maslow developed this theory and I find it to be one of the most encouraging theories in psychology and is in relation to the field of positive psychology.
The career field I have chosen is social work/case management and I may work with people in different populations. The skill that is most important in this field is that you have to be a person who can encourage others and guide them. I find this is a skill I possess. I really do enjoy helping others. If psychology taught me anything, it's that we can improve ourselves and help others improve themselves.
My psych degree will help me in many ways particularly about cultural differences. I have learned to be more understanding and tolerant of people of all differences. I had to go on quite a journey to get where I am today. I knew I loved psychology, yet I never followed my dreams. I went for "practical" and this led me feeling somewhat lost and not knowing my purpose. I eventually found a job working with people in which part of my job was to encourage others. This made me realize I am good with helping people. Sometimes, all you need is a little feedback to see who you really are.
I have integrated psychology in my own life in many ways. I have used psychology in how I deal with life and it's challenges. Some of these challenges include: problems I face, relationships, and challenges that present growth and build character. I have also learned to be more authentic and genuine with people. I find this to open more possibilities and enrich my relationships. Most of all, psychology has taught me to understand people more. It has taught me to be more kind, empathetic, understanding, and motivated.
"Persona" means mask. Our persona is the personality we show to others. Sometimes it can be various personas. We can be different around our parents, young children/adults, our peers, our teachers, and authority figures. However, I do believe that we are mostly our genuine selves around our close friends or partners. These people see intimate parts of ourselves and get to see who we really are, warts and all. Our experiences also play a huge part in who are and what how our internal world functions. Patterns of thoughts, expectations, self-perceptions, values, and attitudes all determine how we function on a day-to-day basis.
Using the tools I learned in psychology such as what can motivate people helped me figure out my own values throughout college. The cognitive theory focuses on internal states such as: motivation, problem-solving, decision-making, thinking, and attention. This theory pertains to my own journey throughout my academic career. Good grades and achievement motivates me to do well. Also, making my family proud of me is something that pushes me to do my best.
My decision-making process was influenced a lot in school. I learned that anything worth working towards will be a lot of work. No one will do the work for me. I had to make some sacrifices, such as working less and making less money. I had less free time. I really think my thinking and attention has improved drastically. I have learned focus techniques, organizational skills, and improved my time management. Psychology taught me to know myself well enough to know what was most important to me. Was it having fun or making something of myself?
I learned to think more critical throughout college because I was given assignments in which I had to really apply myself. Ways I improved my critical thinking skills were understanding my own biases and even other people's biases. I had to look for inconsistencies and errors in others and my own thinking. I also had to be open to being wrong. I believe this has improved my relationships both personal and professional quite a bit because I have learned to accept other people's views even if they weren't congruent with mine.
Most of all, psychology has helped improve who I am as a person. I have made better choices in all areas of my life. I have learned to apply what I learned to help other people. I have looked outside of myself and really opened my eyes to the world around me. I have self-transcended and have a sense of self-actualization that I didn't have before studying psychology. I have found more meaning in not only my day-to-day activities, but in the people around me. I learned to take something with me every day no matter how small it is. Psychology is about learning who you are, other people are, and how the mind works.
During my academic career, I have learned that my education is something I value very much and is something that can't be taken away from me. Almost graduating and somewhat relieved to be done, but at the same time I'm considering other opportunities such as continuing my education further. 
Psychology is something I think about on a daily basis. From a young age I always wanted to understand why people thought a certain way, what motivated them, and why they do the things they do. Some people want to understand how things work or function, but I want to understand how humans think and function. 
The career field I have chosen is social work/case management and I may work with people in different populations. The skill that is most important in this field is that you have to be a person who can encourage others and guide them. I find this is a skill I possess. I really do enjoy helping others. If psychology taught me anything, it's that we can improve ourselves and help others improve themselves. 
