week 7 Reflection

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been focused on preparing for my project, which is all about learning why young adults don’t do more to conserve water, and how to get them more involved in helping. I haven’t met with any partners just yet besides the short zoom meetings, but I’ve been trying to think ahead and prepare myself for when that time comes.

So far, I’ve planned to survey young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 on campus. I want to ask basic questions like their age, whether they know any water-saving tips, and if they actually practice them. The goal is to get a better idea of what young people already know and what might be stopping them from getting involved. After I collect the survey data, I’ll analyze it to find patterns and see what kind of education or motivation could make a difference. Eventually, I’d like to create a mini workshop to help raise awareness in a fun, simple way.

Even though I haven’t done the official site visits yet, I’ve been reflecting on how I present myself when talking to people about my project. I think at first I was a little nervous but I didn’t want to sound like I didn’t know wha I was doing. But I’ve realized it’s okay to not have all the answers yet. What matters more is being open to learning and willing to improve.

One moment that stood out to me was when I casually mentioned my project to a few friends during lunch. I wasn’t trying to present it formally—I just shared what I was working on and why I thought it mattered. To my surprise, they started asking questions and even brought up things I hadn’t thought of, like how hard it is to care about water use when you’re busy juggling school and work. That conversation reminded me that connecting on a real, personal level can spark way more engagement than trying to sound “perfect” or overly polished. It helped me realize that authenticity makes my message more relatable.

I casually mentioned my project to a few friends during lunch. I wasn’t trying to present it formally, I just shared what I was working on and why I thought it mattered. I was surprised but they started asking questions and even brought up things I hadn’t thought of, like how hard it is to care about water use when you’re busy juggling school and work. That’s  conversation reminded me that connecting on a real, personal level can spark way more engagement than trying to sound “perfect” or overly polished. It helped me realize that authenticity makes my message more relatable.

I think one thing I’ve done well so far is staying curious. I really do want to understand how people think about water use, and I’m not just doing this for a grade. I also think I’ve been good at listening when others give feedback, and I’m open to adjusting my approach if something isn’t working.

Something I could do better is being more confident in sharing my ideas. Sometimes I second-guess myself and worry too much about being “right.” But I know that part of this process is trial and error, and making mistakes is part of learning. I’m trying to remind myself that it’s okay to not have everything perfect right away.

Moving forward, I’m looking forward to connecting with people, hearing their thoughts, and figuring out how to make this project actually useful. I want it to be something that helps people think differently about water conservation and maybe even do something about it.