HTHS301 - Health Services Management I.

Portfolio Project.

Honestly, the Portfolio Project in HTHS301 made me see how messy public policy is. I used to think rules and funding were just paperwork, but they actually decide what agencies can even try to do. Looking through it, I noticed nonprofits, private groups, and public programs all have their own weird challenges, and even small policy changes can mess things up or help a lot. Some parts were confusing and kind of frustrating because it was not always clear what could be done. I realized that knowing this stuff is not just for class, it is stuff I am going to have to deal with all the time in real human services work.

In HUSS335, I quickly learned that developing a social program is never a straightforward process. For the Program Development and Evaluation project, I had to slow down and really look at a problem instead of jumping straight to solutions, which is something I tend to do in real life. Breaking the issue down and figuring out what the community actually needed, rather than what I assumed they needed, was a humbling experience.

Once I laid out the needs, designing the plan felt a bit like building a bridge while walking across it. I kept thinking about how this would play out in a real agency, where nothing ever goes exactly as planned. Mapping out each step, deciding who would do what, and thinking through the practical details gave me a better sense of how programs succeed or fall apart, long before clients ever feel the impact.

The evaluation piece was probably the most eye-opening. It forced me to ask myself a simple but uncomfortable question: How do I know if what I designed actually works? Learning to measure outcomes without losing sight of the people behind the numbers was a big takeaway. This assignment helped me see that effectiveness isn’t about flashy strategies; it’s about whether the plan genuinely improves someone’s situation and whether I’m willing to adjust when it does not.

While I was working on the Statistics Portfolio Project, I realized pretty quickly that I could not just rely on instinct or what “seemed” right. I had to actually sit with the formulas and walk myself through the steps, even when the numbers felt a little intimidating at first. There were a few times when I thought I had the answer, but then, once I checked the process, I realized I had skipped something important. That turned out to be a good reminder that math has a way of revealing when you cut corners.

The project also made me pay attention to why specific methods are used in the first place. When the data did not support the conclusion I wanted, I had to adjust rather than force it. That part was uncomfortable, but it taught me how important it is to let the evidence guide the decision, not the other way around.

Honestly, I walked away with a better sense of how to use structured reasoning in everyday situations. When I slow down and let the process do the work, the conclusions feel a lot more grounded. And that is something I know I will lean on in real-world decision-making, not just in a math class.

While working on the PHIL310 assignment, I noticed how much my own thinking can drift when I don't stop and check myself. I went into the paper with one perspective, but once I started laying everything out, it became clear that some of my reasons were more habit than actual logic. That realization slowed me down a bit. I found myself rereading my points and asking, “Wait, does this actually hold up, or am I just used to saying it this way?”

It was not a fancy process, more like catching myself mid-thought and adjusting before things went too far off track. The back-and-forth between my drafts helped me get better at noticing when I needed to shift direction or rethink how I was approaching the comparison between harm reduction and abstinence.

Honestly, that kind of reflection is something I can use anywhere. If I can pause, look at what I am doing, and change course without feeling like I messed up, it makes learning a lot less rigid and a lot more real.

Working through the Career Development Plan in SOSC115 felt less like a typical class assignment and more like taking a step back to look at where I have been and where I am heading. It pushed me to connect the things I have learned over the years to my job, school, and personal life, and make sense of how they fit into my future goals. I found myself thinking about decisions I have made in past roles and noticing patterns in what motivates me. That alone helped me set clearer goals and understand which kinds of work fit my strengths.

The assignment also showed me how useful it is to apply what I have learned in new situations, rather than treating each experience in isolation. Being able to draw lessons from different parts of my life and use them in career planning is something I know will come in handy in any professional setting.