Managing+Impulsivity

Managing Impulsivity
We’ve recently designed a lot of our own experiments, but before doing so; we always do at least one lab that is similar in order to practice. Ms. Knowles teaches us the concept we are learning, and then we are given the opportunity to illustrate it through hands on work and experience. I find this method to be extremely beneficial. As a student, if a concept is taught to me theoretically, chances are I will have no problem grasping understanding of it. However, this often leaves me with the ability to complete a certain set of skills, but it also often leaves me unaware of how the skills are applied, or what it is I am able to do.

An example of this lies in the titration experiment we had to design. Before performing our own lab, we did a lab that was the exact same as what we were meant to design. The only difference was what it was we were trying to find the concentration of HCl instead of vinegar. This initial experiment familiarized us with titrating, and we were able to apply our knowledge to a real life situation. After doing so, I felt very comfortable in performing the procedure, so when it came time to designing our own titration experiment, it was no question that the set up would be the exact same. Without the guidance of the assignment, I would have most likely begun the experiment without any preparation, knowing that I knew how to conduct it. However, the design required a written procedure. At the time, I found constructing the procedure to be trivial. The procedures of the two experiments would be almost identical. Knowing it was part of assignment, I compelled with a slight sense of unwillingness.

When it came time to perform the procedure, I realized that it was not the procedure, but my resistance to write it that was petty. I found myself referring to the procedure many times in order to refresh my memory and ensure accuracy. Without the procedure, my performance would have been ridden with overconfidence, leading to careless error. This experience has taught me restraint and the importance of managing impulsivity.