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FinalReflectionQuestions

BrianForte|Architecture|February29,2016

1. Whilewritingyourpaper,whatdidyoulearnabouttheresearchprocess?
ByimmersingmyselfinthePridePapersosuddenly,Iinitiallyfeltsomewhatoverwhelmedby
theentireprocess.ItwastobethefirstpaperofsuchlengthanddetailthatIhadeverwritten,and
Idiscoveredthatfindingastartingpointprovidedmethemostdifficulty.OnceIwasabletopin
downasolidfoundationfortheentiretyofmypaper,mappingoutamoreintricateoutlinecame
fairlyeasily.Beforeconstructingtheoutlinehowever,Iwasmetwithprocessofgathering
sourceswhichprovedtobeaverytimeconsumingandmeticuloustask.Settingagoaltofindat
leasttenreliable,detailed,andextensivesourcesveryearlyonhelpedmetopacemyselfand
properlypredicttheamountoftimeIwouldneedtofinishafinaldraftwhilepossiblyaddingor
removingsourcesalongtheway.Itheninsertedmysourcesandseveralkeypointsfromeach
intomyoutline,leavingonlysomematerialtobeaddedtomyfinaldraft.Overall,Ifeelthat
writingthePridePaperwasthebestpossiblelearningexperiencethatIcouldhavehadregarding
writinglongresearchpapers.Thereisobviousvalueinlearningabouthowtowriteina
classroomsetting,butIbelievethatimmersioncanbeevenmoredesirable.

2. Howwastheresearchrelatedtoyourmentorhours?
AlthoughmyresearchwasinthefieldofArchitectureandIcoveredthedifferentaspects
ofthefieldthroughoutmyPridePaper,Iwasnotabletofindamentorthatworked
directlyasanArchitect.Mymentor,Mr.JonHart,worksasanEngineeringProjectCoordinator
forDelhaizeAmerica.Overthecourseofourmeetings,IfoundthatMr.Hartwasabletoassist
mesufficientlyintheconstructionofmyproduct,ashehasavastamountofexperienceinthe
processofbuildingplandrafting.HeexplainedtomethateventhoughhehasadegreeinInterior
Design,hehasbeenabletoadapthisdegreeoverthecourseofhiscareerandworkmoreasa
draftingartistthandirectlyasaninteriordesigner.

3. Summarizethementorhoursthatyoucompleted.
Bymeetingwithmymentoroverthecourseofthepastmonth,Ihavelearnedmoreabout
mytopicthanIhadeveranticipated.Asmymentorhoursbuiltup,myunderstandingofthePride
Projectasawholealsogrew.InowunderstandexactlywhythePrideProjectplayssuchalarge
roleinthelivesofseniorsatPineLakePreparatory,asthisisthemostenlighteningexperienceof
myhighschoolcareerthusfar.Withmymentor,acertifiedinteriordesignerwhohasdecadesof
experienceasanarchitect,Ilearnedabouthowexactlybuildingplansaredesignedaswellashow
theyarelaterexecutedbyengineersandbuilders.

4. Howdidworkingwithyourmentoraffectyourunderstandingofthetopicandyour
developmentoftheproduct?
Althoughmymentorisnotpersonallycertifiedasapracticingarchitect,hehasworked
withthemfor23yearswithhisInteriorDesigndegree.Mymentorhasassistedmeinlearning
aboutthemoretechnicalsideofthearchitecturalindustry,mostlywiththedraftingofresidential
andcommercialbuildingplans.Iwasunawareoftheamountofdetailthatgoesintoasetof

buildingplans,andmymentorsharedwithmehisownpersonalportfoliowhichgreatlyopened
myeyestotheentireprocess.HealsoverygenerouslyletmetakeanysetofbuildingplansthatI
wouldliketouseasareferencewhilebuildingmyproduct.Withsuchdetailedreferences,ithas
beenmucheasierformetoadddetailandaccuracytomyfinalproduct.

5. Howdidcreatingaproductandcompletingthehourschallengeyoupersonally?
ThePrideProjecthasbeenagreatlydemandingperiodofpersonaldevelopment
formeasIneartheendofmytimeatPineLake.

Workingoffthetopicofmychoicefromthe
PridePaper,Architecture,Ihadtothinkofaphysicalproductthataccuratelydepictedmy
researchinthefield.Ibelievethatwithahandbuilt,fullytoscalemodelIhaveadequately
testedmyselfandmyknowledgeofthecareerpath.BydraftingtheplansforthemodelI
combinedmanyskillslearnedinclassesthatIhavetakenatPineLake,suchasGeometry,
Precalculus,and3DDesign.Inactuallycreatingthemodelfromthoseplans,makingmistakes
andsubtlemodificationsalongtheway,Ihavealsoimposeduponmyownpatienceand
diligence.

6. Doyoufeelpreparedacademicallyandemotionallyforthepresentation?
Asthedateoffinalpresentationsquicklyapproaches,Ihaveactuallystartedtobecome
lessstressedabouttheprojectasawhole.TheprospectofthePrideProjecthasalwayscomeoff
tomeasverydauntinginyearsprior(andeventhebeginningofthisyear),butasIvebecome
immersedintheprocessofmeetingwithmymentor,completingmyportfolio,andconstructing
myproductIhaverealizedthatthetimethatIhavespentfeelingextremelystressedoranxious
hasbeenwasted.Ialsousedtoworryabouttheideaofsteppinginfrontofapanelofjudgesand
presentingfor15+minutes,butasIhavegottencloserandclosertocompletingmyprojectIhave
alsobecomeincreasinglyconfidentaboutthepresentationitself.Basedonmyexperiencesin
PublicSpeaking,whichhasproventobeanincrediblyvaluableresource,IbelievethatIwillbe
abletosuccessfullyfillmytimeslotandadequatelypresentmytopictothejudgingpanel.

7. Howdidtheentireprocessstretchyouasalearnerandasanindividual?
ByforcingstudentsintotheearlystagesofPrideProjectasmidyearjuniors,IbelievePineLake
preparesstudentsforcollegeandtheircareersonalevelunparalleledbyotherschoolsinourarea.
OriginallyIremembertheprospectofatenpluspagepaperfeelingverydaunting,butthroughout
theprocessofconductingresearchandactuallywritingthepaperitselfIlearnedabouttime
managementandhowtoproductivelyusemytime.Afterasmallamountofinitial
procrastination,Icametotherealizationthatitwouldbeimpossibleformetosuccessfullycram
inwritingsuchanextensivepaperthatwassofullofinformation.ThisyearIsufferedfroma
similarlyslowstarttomyPridePortfolioandproduct.Myfailuretofindamentor,after
contactingandsettingupmeetingswiththreedifferentpeople,wasdiscouragingandgreatly
harmedmyworkethic.However,afterIsetmyselfbackontrackandbegantomakevisible
progressIrealizedthatItrulyenjoymytopicandhavelittleregretsaboutmyexperiencesthusfar
asawhole.AsanindividualIfeelthattheprocesshaspreparedmeforandmademeawareof
whatbeinganarchitectentails.TheinformationthatIhavereceivedsincethebeginningofthe
PridePaperhasinsomewaysmadememoreenthusiasticaboutthecareerpathwhileatthesame

timerevealingsomeofitsshortcomings.EvenifIdecidenottopursuethisfieldduringmy
highereducation,IamgladthatIhavehadtheopportunitytostudyitandbecomemorestrongly
informedaboutitaltogether.

8. Describeanobstacleyouencounteredandhowyouovercameit.
OverthecourseoftheentirePrideProject,Ihavehadtoovercomesomenotable
obstacles.Firstly,IhadtroublewiththeLettertotheReviewCommitteeandstatingmyproduct
idea.Myproductitselfwasinitiallyapproved,butthereweredetailsthatIneglectedtoincludein
myoriginalletterthatIwasrequiredtoaddinlaterdrafts.Also,whenthetimecameformeto
findamentortohelpmewithmyfinalproductandportfolio,Ifellbehindafterthewithdrawalof
threedifferentpeoplefromourplans.NotonlywasIsurprisedthatittookmefourtriesto
successfullysecureamentor,italsosetmeveryfarbehindasIcouldnotactuallystartmymentor
hoursuntilearlyJanuary.

9. Whatlifeskillsdidyouacquireandhowwilltheyhelpyouinthefuture?
TheentirePrideProjectexperiencehasopenedmyeyesinawaythatIdonotfeelis
providedatanyotherschoolorthroughanyotherseniorexitproject.Beginningin
midJunioryearwiththePridePaper,Iwasforcedtolearnhowtoconductrealresearchofmy
topicandformalogicalreportofmyfindings.Includedinthatresearchwascontactingan
individualworkinginthefield,whichfurtherdevelopedmyskillsofinteractingwithpeopleina
professionalorbusinesssetting.Thisyear,thesecondhalfofthePrideProjecthasaffectedme
evenmorestronglyasitismuchmoreexperienceintensive.Thementorhoursprocesshas
expandeduponmyinvolvementlastyearwithinterviewingsomeoneworkinginthefield,andit
hasshownmethatworkingwithsomeoneelectronicallyandworkingwithsomeoneinpersonare
twovastlydifferentexperiences.

10. Ifyouhadtogobackanddopartsoftheprojectagain,whatwouldyoudodifferently?
IfIweretorepeatanypartofmyproject,Iwoulddefinitelyfocusonfindingamentor
muchearlierintheprocess.IknowthatasajuniorIwasveryfocusedonthePridePaper,butI
madethemistakeofnotthinkingaheadtowardthePortfolio,product,andfinalpresentation.
Whenitcametimeformetofindamentorwhowouldbewillingtoassistmeinthelatterhalfof
myproject,IhadamuchmoredifficulttimethanIhadoriginallyanticipated.Aftertheexchange
ofseveralemails,threedifferentindividualsgavemetheimpressionthattheywouldbewilling
tomeetwithmebutlaterwithdrewfromourplans.Itwasataboutthistime(afterthefalling
throughofathirdpotentialmentor)thatIbegantowishthatIhadcompletedthisportionofthe
projectalmostafullyearprior.

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