Session 1 has been an eye opening experience and definitely a roller coaster. It has pushed me to go out of my comfort zone, try new things and ultimately thrown me in the deep end of adulthood. I strongly believe, and so far CSU and this course in particular has confirmed it for me, that I learn best when doing so hands on and also working alone and with peers. it provides me with the opportunity to further my learning and gain different perspectives and opinions on many concepts. I have always enjoyed working in teams for this reason as if done well, each member can better one another and thus can ultimately produce the best work from every individual and learn productively as we progress. I am often the one to step up and take the leading roll however am happy to let someone else step up, especially if they would be more beneficial for the task.

In regards to skills, both course related and other, I need to work on not stretching myself thin. I need to find a healthier balance in life to ensure I have enough time for every aspect in my life rather then pushing myself to the point of burning out to fast. Thus, many changes are on their way for session two. I need to better my skills in proof reading and my referencing for assignments. I did master the skill of attending all the appropriate classes and remaining on track, even when life got a little wild. I also took notes well however, this also needs to be slightly tweeked to ensure it is affective.

As a whole, the hands on and relativeness of the subject has me completely engaged and motivated daily. Whilst I have struggled to remain focused in the lectures (due to me playing catch up) they are extremely informative and always a great insight. Whilst I understand that the course is focused on the broad industries, I believe it would be important to visit or look into smaller farming establishments of our local farmers just trying to make a dime for their work. As to me, for my future, it is them who I am targeting to support as they often fall behind the “big guys” and can be forgotten to an extent.

I am excited to see how the subject progress and how the Practical’s and Group Tasks change. I am keen to start looking into a wide range of industries and animals, some i have worked with for years, others i have never been given the opportunity to get involved with.