Pick out 3 behaviors that resonate with you in the list and describe why they resonate with you in a reflection (4-6 sentences).
Stick-to-itiveness - Learning something new is always a challenge, and while some are easier than others, it is that very challenge that is in of itself intriguing. Seeing something new raises questions and potentially can fix problems better, once learned. I'm not sure how well that it will fit, but I think that having the jack of all trades mentality would be inherently more useful than being the absolute master of one. In essence, having more tools in your toolbox sounds better, and towards that end, continuing to learn about more tools and pushing yourself to do so is key.
Say I don't know - The ability to acknowledge lack of information is a big deal and one that I believe is underwhelming known. I have the tendency to say that more than most and then also go seeking, to varying degrees, to fill the gap I obviously have so that it could be better the next time. It is much the same as asking a question, the stupidest one is the one that doesn't get asked, and by not admitting what you don't know you are only hurting yourself. Hopefully the amount of I Don't Know's slows down a little while during school, however, afterwards I would expect that they will evolve into a steady pace.
Become a power user - At my previous job I know that I was more successful for knowing how to use the tools at my disposal. Learning and understanding how to become more efficient, quicker, and also having the ability to help others all made me more effective. For example, knowing and being able to utilize all of the shortcuts in Sublime will prove extremely useful during school in that I will be able to focus on the idea I'm building rather than the execution and typing to make it happen, since I will be able to get the idea "on paper" quicker. This also holds true with anything of course, but the goal is to make the tool that you use second nature, more akin to breathing, so that the pieces that matter can flow better.
After reading, consider the idea of checklists. Write a reflection (4-6 sentences) on the benefits of a checklist and how an organizational system such as a checklist might help you first as a student and later as a full-time developer.
Checklists are extraordinarily useful, even to the extent that you will receive postive reinforcement for every item that is checked off the list. The trick is to identify how specific to be on some things, but even with ultra specific lists the rewards of checking things off will actually further the desire to keep going. I currently use checklists as a general guide to remind me of things that need to get done, and have previously used them quite extensively when at work to stay on task and on track to accomplish as much as possible. I am constantly evolving on the best way to itemize a checklist based on the task at hand, but as I refine my approach I believe that I can become better at using them. I do not reasonably see when I should or would stop using them, so as I grow in my career it should actually help me progress more effectively.
What is your impression of strengths-based development? What questions do you have about this kind of development? It is actually something that was employed as much as possible in my previous job. Success was easier for those involved when the person wanted to be a part of a certain task and overall satisfaction was also higher when the employees were able to do something that they felt more connected to. In the role that I was in, I always tried to play to peoples strengths and allow them to choose their tasks whenever feasible, which greatly helped in ensuring that all tasks were getting done in a timely manner. The harder part was choosing the better of two evils when all of the likeable tasks were gone, but encouragement and some rotation helped with this problem as well.
What do you feel are your top strengths? How do you know? One of the strengths that I believe I possess is curiousity. I have what feels to be an innate desire to learn and understand things, even if they do not contribute to me in any meaningful way. I also believe that I am a quick learner and take to learning new things relatively quickly. Honestly I am not sure how I know, it feels like these are the traits that have gotten me farther than most and it is because of that that I believe that they are likely the strongest ones that I possess.
How do you hope to develop your strengths for your new career in software development? My hope is to develop more strengths to compliment the ones that I already have. I do not wish to become extraordinary at any one particular thing, I would prefer to become great at as many things as possible as it would not only help me to become better professionally, it would also open more doors personally. In addition to what I currently have, improving my time management skills would be beneficial, along with increased organization, greater comfort in public speaking, etc. Simply going through the program successfully will allow me to grow in ways that I have not been able to grow in as of late, and that would likely be the jump start for more development later on skills and traits I may not know that I need now.