Written by I was interviewed for this article:
https://ischool.sjsu.edu/istudent-blog/navigating-e-portfolio-process-tips-tricks-and-tales-trenches
Embrace the Stress (But Don’t Let It Overwhelm You)
It’s perfectly normal to feel a bit overwhelmed by the e-Portfolio process. The key is not to let that stress paralyze you.
Dr. Stephens encourages seeking support: “Look for student support. It’s okay to say, ‘I am stressed and I am worried about this.’ That can be part of the process.”
Ellie told me that she was far more worried about the process before it began, but quickly realized she didn’t need to be.
Stay connected with peers through student groups or communities such as the SJSU MLIS Discord. Sometimes, just knowing others are in the same boat can alleviate stress. Take control of your timeline by focusing on one competency at a time to make the process less daunting. Remember, nervousness and excitement are the same feeling, the only difference is the expected outcome. You’re just one e-Portfolio away from completing your MLIS degree!
I am so bad at remembering to download my completed assignments to my computer even though I know it will help me later on! It stresses me out every semester that I avoid doing it. I can’t rely on my GoogleDocs versions because I have so many draft copies of assignments!
Hello @littlelibrarian I completely understand. For this course, you might export PDFs of all your work and place them in a folder within your e-portfolio section on your preferred cloud drive, ensuring you keep every assignment from our class.
Hi @michael, this post came at a perfect time. I can tend to get into a freeze mode when I am overwhelmed, and it takes so much energy to work through it- I wonder if anyone else can relate….
Sometimes by just acknowledging the feeling, and moving forward in small ways, helps a lot- so I’m going to visit my e-portfolio for 15 minutes today after work. Baby steps! 🍀🐣
@collectingtjp I very much relate to freeze mode. So frustrating because it kicks in when I need to be getting A LOT done but I like your idea of approaching the task in small chunks.
@collectingtjp Some of the best advice I received when I was working on my dissertation to finish up my doctorate was to schedule my writing time, and when that time was done to move away from it and do other things and recharge. If I scheduled a couple of hours in a day and finish that two hours I was done for the day with the writing. It was very helpful.
I can relate! E-port has taken over my life. I work 9 hour days and come home to writing my comps and weekends are used to write more comps. It has been a lot of work but also very satisfying to see the work pile get smaller and smaller. I know how you feel. It has felt very overwhelming, but I found writing my comps out in sections and taking short breaks has really helped in the process.
@alexisferrarii excellent workflow. Try not to be overwhelmed! One at a time…
Switching gears definitely feels important to give my brain a break. After I finish a competency, I reward myself with a night off to just read and relax. I’m reading The Vanishing Family my Robert Kolker. Not exactly relaxing subject matter but oh well!
The link to the SJSU Discord is not working for me. Is there another link I can use?
@rlawshea that link was put in in the editing process, and I honestly do not know what the URL is for the Discord server. Perhaps someone in our class will. If anyone knows it, please comment here.
I am in the trenches of e-port and it really has humbled me. I am currently on Comp K!