Reflection Essay on Personal Responsibility

Personal Responsibility Personal Responsibility The way you perceive Personal Responsibility can be viewed many ways depending on your ethical perspective in life. We all live by a set of ethics that are instilled in us from birth through adulthood. These ethics contribute to our decision making and how we live our lives. In order to practice personal responsibility in higher education, you must first define what it means to you, the relationship between personal responsibility and college success and have a plan to follow.

Even though uncontrolled situations can happen, you must take personal responsibility for your actions because it demonstrates work ethic and shows your character. Definition of Personal Responsibility My definition of personal responsibility is being accountable for my actions and the way I say or do things. By accepting accountability for my actions, I must make decisions that are ethically responsible. Every day we are faced with dilemmas and our peers expect us to react according to what is normal in society. These decisions must be based on integrity, honesty and our overall values.

Once we reach adulthood, the expectation is we aspire into responsible adults without being coerced. This requires accepting that I chose the direction for my life and realize who I am. Recognizing how my choices affect me and others who depend on my support is a key factor of my decision making process. Understanding there are consequences for my behavior prepares me for accepting responsibility in everything I do. Personal responsibility has been defined as being accountable to oneself and the needs and well-being of others (Ruyter,2000).

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Doherty (1998) has argued that there is an increasing trend in society to refuse accountability and to blame others for one’s situation. Relationship between Personal Responsibility and College Success The relationship between personal responsibility and college success is the ethical choices I make while pursing higher education. In order to be successful in college, I must take personal responsibility for my actions. Students entering college are expected to demonstrate skills that will lead to success.

It takes motivation and sincerity to endeavor the challenges and responsibility associated with continuing your education. According to Colby and Sullivan (2009) there are five key dimensions of personal and social responsibility. “In Striving for excellence: developing a strong work ethic and consciously doing one’s very best in all aspects of college, cultivating personal and academic integrity: recognizing and acting on a sense of honor, ranging from honesty in relationships to principled engagement with a formal academic honor code.

Contributing to a larger community: recognizing and acting on one’s responsibility to the educational community and to the wider society— local, national, and global. Taking seriously the perspectives of others: recognizing and acting on the obligation to inform one’s own judgment; engaging diverse and competing perspectives as a resource for learning, citizenship, and work. Developing competence in ethical and moral reasoning: developing ethical and moral reasoning in ways that incorporate the previous four dimensions, and using such reasoning in learning and in life. (p. 24). As a college student, I must take personal responsibility in making sure I succeed. Since I have set the goal of continuing my education, the duty to myself is success. Preliminary Plan The choices I make on a daily basis can impact my success, therefore I must have a plan. My plan is to stay well engaged in my education by working with my academic counselor, attending class regularly, staying involved in class discussions, learning better time management skills and completing assignments on time.

According to American Federation of Teachers (2011), “to further their own success, students must be responsible, among other things, for attending classes and keeping up with their coursework. Students must understand that the minimum time commitment required for success in their courses is generally two hours on top of every classroom hour. Engaging professionals in discussions about students’ coursework and their educational and career goals. It is imperative that students regularly seek out faculty, academic and career counselors outside of class.

Periodically taking a hard look at their academic and career goals, the time commitments they undertake and the state of their finances to ensure that they develop a program of study that has a good prospect for success. ” (Students). My weakest area is time management. Being a single mother of three children, working full time and managing a household is more than a lot of people could handle. In order to take control of these factors in my life, I have started planning ahead and created a biweekly schedule for the entire family.

This schedule helps me keep track of upcoming class projects, my work schedule and my children’s activities. I have found this plan to be effective and proficient in keeping my schedule under control. (Ellis, p. 14, 2011). By planning a week or month at a time, you get a bigger picture of your multiple roles as a student, employee, and family member. With that awareness, you can make conscious adjustments in the number of hours you devote to each domain of activity in your life. For a plan to be effective, you must measure the results for success.

To help keep me engaged with my academic goals, I have developed a strategy of keeping in constant contact with my academic advisor. I speak with my advisor about the required courses I need to fulfill and a time based goal for achieving this accomplishment. My classes currently require that I participate four days per week, however I devote more time to the classroom. I have also found that doing more than the required work for a class can give you a better understanding of the material. The schedule that has been created for me and my family is updated and evaluated weekly to ensure we are meeting our objectives.

Conclusion In conclusion, although uncontrollable situations can happen, you must take personal responsibility for your actions. There may be classes or assignments I don’t enjoy but I must focus and find my strengths in that area. Sometimes life requires you to accept challenges that were not anticipated but good work ethic will discipline you to accept those responsibilities. The projects may not always be interesting but completing them is a true demonstration of your character. Accepting personal responsibility demonstrates strong work ethic and commitment to college success.

Creating a plan to help you strategize practicing personal responsibility shows your commitment to success in college. References Colby, A. , & Sullivan, W. M. (2009, Winter). Strengthening the Foundations of Students' Excellence, Integrity and Social Contributions. Liberal Education, 95(1), 22-39 American Federation of Teachers. (2011). ERIC. Retrieved from http://www. eric. ed. gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet? accno=ED518097 Ellis, D. (2011). Becoming a Master Student (13th ed. ). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection

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