Welcome back to my little sprinkle-filled sundae! Scoops Up has really taken off these last few weeks and I’m so glad you’re here to enjoy the advice (and the ice cream references).
Have you ever made a custom ice cream sandwich? You get to choose your outer layers (usually cookies, right?) and then fill it with your favorite ice cream. I want you to imagine what you would choose if you were making that ice cream sandwich right now. I’ll go first – my perfect ice cream sandwich is using a brownie cookie on one side, a peanut butter cookie on the other side and filled with a chocolate peanut butter ice cream. I know what you’re thinking – that’s a little heavy on the peanut butter, but I say you can never have enough!
Now you’re wondering: what do ice cream sandwiches have to do with today’s Scoop #4 about experiential learning? Fair question – but stick with me. I built this analogy for you.
Cookie #1 = Your Baseline Background
This layer is all about everything you bring into an experience – your education, previous positions, leadership roles and life experiences. It’s the foundation you need to build from.
Let’s say you’re majoring in psychology (like I did). You have taken classes such as Research Methods and Abnormal Psychology. You may wish to mention your coursework in your cover letter or an interview for the position. This can be especially helpful if you haven’t had experience in the field yet. Or maybe you are a student leader who’s planned events and run meetings, or you’ve worked a part-time position such as retail or dog walking.
These experiences demonstrate transferable skills like:
- Your ability to problem solve
- Demonstrate communication with others
- How you meet goals
Your baseline includes everything you’ve done so far. Take inventory of your academic, personal and professional foundation and give yourself credit for your hard work so far.
Ice Cream = The Experience + Skill Building
This is the main event: your co-op, internship, practicum, clinical, etc. This is where your skills are tested, sharpened and grown.
This is the space and the time to learn more about your field of interest. I was recently watching a classic movie about an attorney. He claims that he wasn’t taught certain information in school and it was the responsibility of his place of employment to teach him the specifics. Some knowledge can only come from being in the real world; it’s true.
While you’re there, be intentional:
- Observe your environment
- Talk to your supervisors or peers over coffee or lunch
- Ask questions and connect with people on LinkedIn to stay in touch
Experiential learning is just as the title implies, experiential. It’s the perfect time to try things, make mistakes and reflect on what fits.
Cookie #2 = Reflection + Action Planning
You’ve got the background. You’ve had the experience. Now comes the part about bringing it all together through reflection and planning what’s next.
Think about:
- All the skills you gained or put to practice
- The people you worked with
- Projects you contributed to
- Feedback you received from peers or supervisors
Ask yourself:
- Can you see yourself doing this for the next five to ten years?
- Do I like working with people on these types of projects or with the client demographic?
- Do you still want to pursue this pathway?
It’s ideal to add this information to your resume, LinkedIn profile and other relevant places while it’s still fresh in your mind. Reflection and action planning help you make sense of the whole sandwich so you can go into your next experience with confidence and clarity.
Final Scoop
Like an ice cream sandwich, experiential learning is most satisfying when all three layers are present and balanced. We’re here to help with every layer.
Written planning to get Moose Tracks ice cream from The Barn at Mann Orchard.
