Taking+Responsible+Risks

**Taking Responsible Risks

Risk-taking is a vital part of our lives - at one point or another, we have to go with our feelings and do things unprecedented. For example, for our final project this year in chemistry, we had to do an independent research or experiment and then present it to the class. The majority of the class chose to do a research project and they also presented it as a power point. I thought this was boring to me and even though it was the "safe" "easy-A" route, I wanted to do something more original for my final project of the year. Also, public speaking is everyone's greatest fear and was one I wanted to face. I really detest public speaking, but I wanted to get better at it. As a result, I decided to do an experiment with flubber and then presenting it as an oral presentation detailing my experiment while drawing up the data on the board. This method of presentation was definitely risky in that it lacked enticing visuals, however, I felt that I executed it well, much better than I thought I did. I received a B+ on the presentation, which I felt was the correct grade for my assessment. In this sense, this risk was a responsible one because it benefited me in the way that I wanted and only resulted in positive outcomes.** 
 * Taking responsible risks is not new to me in that it's something I try to do more of. Growing up, I usually was on the safer side of situations and it was only older did I realize that taking risks is absolutely vital to success. Not that gambling will always make one rich, but that sometimes you have to go out of your bubble and do things that you're not sure the outcome of is. For example, one risk I took was moving to Shanghai and starting school here. I had no idea what would happen and I did know about what I had back in the states, so it was a big risk for me. But coming here now and looking back on my life, I really appreciate this opportunity to move to Shanghai. It has benefited me in more ways than I could have imagined. It has also encouraged me to do riskier things, to engage with the unknown more. This translates into challenging myself in school by taking classes I have doubts of my success in. It also enabled me to engage in many school activities. Risks are part of our lives and I hope to learn to take more risks while learning to know which ones to take and which ones to avoid.**