3 May 2013

Dear Upcoming Senior Class,

Senior Venture Projects will make you feel like you're going insane. Rule number one: LOVE WHAT YOU PICK! Seriously it will make your project soooo much more enjoyable. If you don't love what you're doing you won't do it. Rule number two: pick a reasonable timeline. If you push yourself into a timeline you're not comfortable with you'll get super stressed out. If you pick a reasonable timeline you give yourself time to work on things at your own pace and still get them done on time. Rule number three: don't wait until after December to even begin working on your project. As soon as you decide what project you want to do start working on it. It will seem like less work if you do it in little chunks throughout the school year. It's your senior year it will go by fast. Rule number four: pick a good reaserch paper topic. Mrs. Schneider WILL tell you no if it;s not a good one. I couldn't even begin to tell you how many times I had to restart my entire research paper planning because my topic wasn't working out. Rule number five: ask for help. Mrs. Schneider is awesome enough to stay after school and work on your papers and things when you need help. I satyed after for about an hour and had my entire research outline done when I went home. Again start researching your topic as soon as possible! Waiting too long to start researching slows everything down and you feel like it's taking forever. Mrs. Schneider will look over your papers if you ask her. Your advisors and mentors are there for a reson. Use them. All the teachers want is to see you succeed in your project. Which means they are more than willing to help out. If you're like me and get your actual project finished early into the year, it's neer too soon to start making your power point. I waited until the end to start it and I felt so behind. The powerpoint and pictures are such good tools and visuals. Use a lot of them. I didn't have much on my power point my first time around until I went over and practiced. You will definitely realize how much you're missing once you practice. Things don't cross your mind the first time you do things and they will be caught the second time you look at it with a "fresh eye". Rule number five: be organized. I cannot stress enough frustrating it is to lose a paper you are positive you need. There were times that I put a piece of paper on the table and said "Oh, I'll grab it later and put it away." No! Put it in it's home right away! You seriously will not believe how easy it will be putting your portfolio together if you put the sheets in the correct places and they are finished. Rule number five: be proud. Once you've accomplished a senior venture project you've done something fantastic thing. There comes a point where you need to take a big step back and see what you've done. Once you've finished your project and the presentation your senior year will will glide right on. Senior ventures are very very VERY stressful but you eralize how capable you are of something you've never thought posible. Good luck next year seniors enjoy it while it lasts because it will go so much faster than you think.