So im in college at the moment and I will be for the next two years (exams permitting) so this is what im hoping to be like then. The point to this post is to lay out a simple list of things I know I have to improve on to be a better person and laying out the goals for
- First and foremost ill be still using Ubuntu I dont foresee any major hurdles to this.
- Second to have 3 years of development behind me.
- To be at least an “official” contributing developer (I contribute here and there but nothing big yet, im just getting started!!).
- To have went to at least 2 more Ubuntu developer summits (Ive been to one and UDS-M is during my college exams but only one test actually falls that week so ill be remotely participating).
- To have applied to a job (Or to have one waiting for me) in some sort of free software company (Im hoping 2 will help me get this one).
- To get my Dad (and my sister maybe) to use Ubuntu
(I got my Ma to use Ubuntu until her computer broke) - To have contributed a lot to at least one program that people find useful (This ones a hard one)
- Complete my college course(software development, im 2 years in at the moment)
- Get a girlfriend (its a simple one but meeting women in college situations doesnt lead to much)
- Be silly when its appropriate and be serious when its appropriate (this is very complicated but its very merited).
- Take breaks from thinking (I think a lot, in fact way too much and half of it isnt of major importance. So I need to be a lot more focused)
- Learn how to play the harmonica and/or keyboard
- Communication: The main goal I want to deal with is my communication with people. I simply dont know how to talk with people well in person. I can communicate a lot better when im not talking face to face with people and its kinda obvious when people meet me that I dont feel comfortable talking at all really. Im a person who thinks a lot but cant deal with people and its always been a big problem for me. So when im in a room with people and not talking I get really nervous and make lots of small talk because in really uncomfortable. I also tend to say/do dumb things when uncomfortable too which I need to fix as well. I need to learn when to talk and when to interrupt because I tend to jump across people in discussions and that seems a little rude so I have to be a better listener in general.
So thats the main thing I want to change over the next 2 years in short to be cool. (I know im Irish so that lends a little coolness but I need to a lot cooler.) Oh and apologies if some of this post is a lot off topic for planet Ubuntu.
Any suggestions? (If you dont want to put them in the comments email me constructive feedback is always welcome in my book)
As for the last one, talking to people, I found that taking a public speaking course helped me out immensely in all aspects of communication with people. I used to be really shy and not want to talk to people, nervous, etc.
Granted, I took this course when I was a kid but you should get similar results even as an adult.
Well I always talked a lot but I could never look people in the eye and when dealing with people my own age I never understood anything. It took me till I was 16~ to figure out that people didnt want to hear everything that was important to me. So I had to filter myself better and im still working on that. My main problem at the moment is I dont have much in common with people my age IMO.
I second a public speaking course. It really helped me out. I havent needed to speak in front of people for several years now.. I could use a refresher course!
Main thing when dealing with people is find out their interests and share a personal experience related to their interests. You’ll be surprised at how much people like talking about themselves
and when you have something in common with them. Make sure to ask lots of questions, that way others do the talking and you wont have to feel uncomfortable with having to answer yourself.
I too want to contribute more to the Ubuntu community. I uploaded some lucid countdown banners (mrandrzejak) but didnt get selected. I’ll have to work harder in the future.
Good luck!
Go contribute to Debian instead:
http://www.ubuntu.com/community/ubuntustory/Debian
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Debian/ForUbuntuDevelopers
I may contribute packaging for debian but I dont think id do anything more than that. I know a lot of Ubuntu developers and community and they are all very nice so im very comfortable here.
interesing post!
when I stumbled upon this great little piece a lot of things made sense – or were just explained wonderfully simple to me
http://www.mit.edu/~jcb/tact.html
your self-insight and honesty is an important platform to appreciate already
no reason you can’t handle anything on that list
how you handle and approach it and learn and grow from it…well…that’s life
My main problem at the moment is I dont have much in common with people my age IMO.
I had this problem as well until in and around 22, I’m 24 now and I find I have more in commom with people my age now, just go for it, Were in around the same age and have plenty in commom, eg Linux etc. There’s always plenty of people out there that are the same as you.
Thats very reassuring thanks