Reflective Essay On Course Experience

Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company, once said, “Coming together is a process; keeping together is progress; working together is success” (Ford). Ford’s quote captures my entire Launch experience into one thought. Over the course of four days, I learned more about myself than I probably have in the past four years. As well as learning about myself, I also grew to know twenty-two strangers I had never met before. My MOI classmates came to be the first group of students I truly got to know and form relationships with at Loras. These relationships would not be as strong as they are without the situations and struggles I faced with my group at the ropes course. My Launch into Loras ropes course experience taught me new ways to use clear, effective communication, while stressing the importance of trust when building relationships. Without the use of communication, many of the ropes course activities would have been impossible to complete. For example, one obstacle consisted of one person leading the entire group through a maze. Everyone but the leader had their eyes shut, and directed the group using verbal cues and passing them down the line. This exercise stressed the importance of open communication. Not only was it important for everyone to verbally relate the upcoming obstacle to the person behind them, but it was equally crucial for each individual to be receptive to others’ cues. This can be related to group situations and

The first friends I made were my MOI classmates and the positive experiences I shared with them at the ropes course have set the tone for what is to come over the course of the semester. Though I learned an abundance of skills over the weekend, my Launch into Loras ropes course experience especially taught me the importance of clearly and effectively communicating, as well as the value in building trusting relationships with my