I initially joined the National Society of Leadership and Success for the graduation stole, but after Oct. 15, I learned there is a lot more to this society than walking the stage with a sash and medallion over my shoulders.
That night, I attended the first of three speaker broadcasts required for induction into the society. To be inducted, students must attend orientation, leadership training day, three speaker broadcasts and three social network team meetings.
The speaker on Oct. 15 was Jim Kwik, an entrepreneur who teaches people how to learn and use the brain’s full potential.
I enjoyed my experience at the broadcast, especially the end when the hosts asked us, “What impacted you the most?” and “What did you learn from the broadcast?” That way we got to reflect on what we just heard.
I learned that “information combined with emotion equals long term memory,” which Kwik said in his broadcast.
All students have that one song or one picture that takes them back years. Students can use that same kind of memory in school.
I was impacted most when Kwik said, “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.”
People tend to forget other people’s names, and they make that other person feel they are not important even though that was not their intention.
The things I learned from Kwik can be applied to work when I am greeting the customers at H-E-B. I can use the strategies that Kwik talked about to help remember the customers’ names.
They can be applied in school to help me have better friendships.
One of his strategies was making it personal. For example, when I try to remember a new co-worker’s name, I try to associate it with a celebrity and most of the time I remember that person’s name.
I realized I have not been taught how to learn. In school they teach us what to learn and how to think, but they do not teach us how to learn. That is what Kwik offers at Kwik Learning. He will teach students how to use their brain to the best of their ability. That way they can learn just about anything.
There was a part during the broadcast where people were saying random double-digit numbers like “27, 21, and 45” because Kwik had asked them to. At the end they had 15 numbers total — that is, 30 single-digit numbers. Kwik was able to say all 30 single-digit numbers frontward and backward. He was not doing it to impress anyone. He did it to show us what our brain is capable of.
For students who take hand-written notes, Kwik said to flip the spiral notebook on its side. On the left draw a picture of what the professor is saying, and on the right just take notes. That way you have a mental picture of what is happening.
Procrastination is something all students struggle with. “The way to get rid of procrastination is to procrastinate. Put off procrastination,” Kwik said.
Another quote that impacted me was when Kwik said, “You don’t want to shrink your dreams to your current situation.”
Like they always say, do not give up on your dreams.
My dreams are to get inducted, learn as much as I can while I am in the society and graduate with a communications degree and a minor in Spanish.
As much as I want to graduate with the stole, it would be a waste if I did not make the most of my experience with the society.
The next speaker broadcasts, which are open to all students, are:
- Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Barack Obama, 6-8:30 p.m. Oct. 22 in the auditorium.
- Tiki Barber, former New York Giants running back, 6-8:30 p.m. Nov. 6 in the Ceremony Room of Patriots’ Casa.
For more information on the broadcasts or NSLS, email agarc0146@jaguar.tamu.edu.
