Human nature always guides us to picture the material wealth acquired at the end of a journey rather than focus and celebrate the small victories that occur along the journey. In a similar fashion, ISM taught me to appreciate the what we tend to regard as menial tasks or busywork as the culmination of the first semester led to the submission of the Original Work. While piecing my business plan together, my appreciation for the countless number research interviews and weekly research assessments heightened as I was able to easily integrate what I had learnt from conducted research and effectively apply it in my business plan.

As I have achieved a long-awaited milestone and winter break rises on the horizon, I look forward to gearing up and working more intensively with my mentor than I have previously. As the mentorship plays a pivotal role in the ISM journey and contact with Mr. Meek and Mr. Dillard has been limited due to a hectic end of the school semester, an opportunity to meet with them and briefly go over our plan for the remainder of the year would be beneficial in advancing that aspect of the ISM journey. All in all, with the conclusion on the first phase of this program, I am not only ready to reflect and learn from the past but to move on and improve for the future.