This semester, everything was slow and chaotic. In the beginning I had no idea what to do or the projects I was interested in. It felt like I had to take an entire ocean of ideas and turn it into one drop. Which put me on lots of set backs and past due deadlines. I could not focus on one thing, I wanted to drop IDS.
However, I realized I was being too serious and focused, IDS could literally be about ANYTHING (caused a lot of indecisiveness on my end) I am passionate about. I put some thought into it and connected what I was doing in STEAM with IDS. Global UN goals was one of my paths. Later on, I know I am interested in the unknown of science, but I focused on something more simple and specific, disease and mental illness (which my partner recommended.) I am interested about anything related to science, which makes it difficult for me to focus on one thing only since I want to do them all at once.
A significant challenge was effectively dedicating and organizing my time, especially with three sciences in one semester. The intensity of mental work in the sciences left me drained for English and IDS. However, with time, I developed habits to maintain mental peace. I take pride in finally deciding on a topic and investing effort in it, dispelling the lost feeling I initially had.
While I am unsure about continuing with my current topic on diseases among us, I am leaning towards exploring other branches of science, such as anatomy or delving into specific scientific theories that intrigue me. The future direction will depend on what resonates with future Zarah. I want to convey that stressing excessively for this course, ironically designed to be stress-free, is unnecessary. Unrealistic expectations only lead to unnecessary pressure.
Lastly, I appreciate the support and understanding extended by classmates, and particularly my teacher in IDS. Her organizational skills and calm demeanor have been invaluable.