As I look around my classroom, I see faces of many expressions. Some are relieved, some tired, and some with tears. Often, we unknowingly put pressure on ourselves to be the best. We tell ourselves that all our value is embedded in our work and succeeding alone is the best if not the only option.
At SSP, we are faced with a multitude of challenges that force us to work together. The cooperation forced onto us is refreshing. Most of life will be a competition, and a very dirty one. This opportunity to work together with no risk of loss is beautiful. We work on p-sets together, debug code together, and participate in mandatory fun together. When else will we have freedom like this?
SSP participants are motivated by a want to understand rather than a want to succeed, something I’ve never seen before. Our lectures are filled with raised hands and educational yet interesting tangents. Our breaks are filled with questions and 5 minute power naps. Ultimately, the sacrifices made at SSP for knowledge and understanding have proved to be worth the results.
