This document provides examples of emotional situations that college students may experience and prompts the reader to reflect on how they would respond. It includes four examples of typical situations that could trigger the emotions of discomfort, anxiety/fear, excitement, and joy. For each example, the reader is asked to describe their experience in that situation and identify the lesson to be learned. The overall message is that reflecting on emotional patterns and responses can provide wisdom and opportunities for self-improvement.

1. Activity Sheet:
Tapping into Emotions
Directions: The following are examples adapted from Joshua Freedman's At the Heart
of Leadership: How to Get Results with Emotional Intelligence. He argues that we often
experience emotions in a pattern. For example, similar situations will trigger a type of
response. It will help us, he argues, if we learn to recognize the pattern and to dig
deeper to explore the reasons why we feel the way we do. Then, we should look for the
wisdom in the situation and response; in other words, we should look for a lesson to learn to
improve ourselves.
Using the following "typical" college student examples, reflect on your emotional
reaction to these types of situations and what you think the wisdom, or lesson, is in
each.
1. EMOTION: DISCOMFORT
TYPICAL SITUATION: You walk into a class for the first time and the professor seems
uninterested to teach or uninteresting in general. You suddenly get worried that you
will not enjoy this class—and you have to have it for your degree.
- YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THIS SITUATION: I think this situation is very usual for all the
students that are in college, maybe the professor had a bad day or he is tired. But I think
they have to be more excited to be teaching because they study for a reason to enjoy
teaching. If he/she is not interested and I don’t have another option I would study by
myself. If the case is that the professor doesn’t even go to class, I would change to
another class because I am paying for a good education.
- THE LESSON TO BE LEARNED: If you don’t have another option takes the class, because
it’s only going to be 12 or 6 weeks and you are going to be over with the class. Not
everything in this life is about “enjoy” that doesn’t bother me if the professor is boring,
the only thing that matters is that the professor know what he/she is teaching, and
answer your questions when you have a concerned.
2. EMOTION: ANXIETY/FEAR
TYPICAL SITUATION: You walk into class where the professor explains everything that
you are going to do this semester. He talks about a 15-page research paper, field
studies, and weekly journals. You don't even have access to a computer.
- YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THIS SITUATION: First of all I would worry a lot because a
computer now a days is very useful the majority of work are due type. So I would buy a
computer or go to a public library or simple as using the school library. If I don’t have
time I would find a way to passed the class, and write down everything the first day of
class so I can have an idea.
- THE LESSON TO BE LEARNED: I would find a way to complete my assignments, those
students that said “I didn’t have internet”, “I didn’t have a printer” guess what?! College
provides all of this kind of help we are so lucky, not every schools has the opportunity to

2. have a big library and different resources. Tell the professor your situation talk to
him/her that’s the only way he could maybe give you a copy or find a solution. Don’t
blame in on the computer, we have resources and we have to use it.
3. EMOTION: EXCITEMENT
TYPICAL SITUATION: You find out that you won a scholarship that will pay for books,
tuition, and fees when you transfer to a four-year university next semester. You can't
wait to share the good news with your family because they were having a hard time
helping support you while you were in college.
- YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THIS SITUATION: First of all I will thanks to them for the support
even if it’s little or big I will be very grateful because if it wasn’t for them I would win the
scholarship. Then I will promise them that I will keep the scholarship studying hard so
they don’t have to worry.
- THE LESSON TO BE LEARNED: This step “college” it’s not easy beginning with the
economic support, you have to work hard in order to become a better person and help
your family take from their shoulder the responsibility to pay for your career. You can
get whatever you want if only you study and put all your effort.
4. EMOTION: JOY
TYPICAL SITUATION: You have taken your last final exam and will be graduating next
week in front of your family, friends, and co-workers—and a few people who thought
you wouldn't make it. You have a job ready and waiting for you in your field of study.
While the pay may not be high, it offers great opportunities for advancement. Your
two children are proud to tell everyone that their mom has a college degree, and you
know that they will be more likely to attend college because you did.
- YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THIS SITUATION: I would not care about those people who
thought I wouldn’t make it; I care about my family in this situation about my two
children which are my support to be better. I would give them an example to follow my
path to become a professional, it doesn’t matter how much they paid me if I have
opportunity to get a better position in the future.
- THE LESSON TO BE LEARNED: NEVER let negative thoughts about people who don’t do
anything for their lives affect you. They are not the ones who are going to get a good
career, who are going to enjoy the happiness of their families’ smile when you graduate.
Don’t anybody put you down.