Semantics Outline (Email Attachment)

The conversation every adult wants to have with an 18-year-old, but can’t find the

words.

Welcome

• Qualifications and background of speaker

Energizer:

• “Baby Shark” Or “The Number 6”

Narrative and Discussion:

• Teenagers as a box - a metaphor

• Impact of social, emotional, and psychological

development on students’ career & academic journeys

Warm-up Ice-Breaker:

• “2 Truths and A Lie”

• Select a student (or group of students) to

participate; winning student(s) receive prize (e.g.

candy)

What does it mean to be you?

• Facilitate discussion – Obtain responses from

students; explore how surface responses (e.g. name,

ethnicity) do not truly encapsulate who you are

Facilitate “Is this who I Am” Handout Part I:

• Students complete first part of handout; sample

questions include:

• Three things that I like to do are…

• Three things that are important to me are…

• Three words that describe my personality are…

• Solicit student responses and discuss: is this who you

truly are?

Narrative and Discussion:

• One college student’s journey of being judged by

others & finding out who they were and who their

friends expected them to be

Facilitate “Is this who I Am” Handout Part II:

• Students consider a person in the lives (e.g. parent,

sibling, boyfriend/girlfriend) and complete second

part of handout; sample questions include:

• This person likes when I…

• Three things that are important to this person

are…

• This person would describe my personality as…

• Process the responses

Narrative and Discussions:

• Define and explore expectations as it relates to the

topic:

• Hopes, values, practices, etc. others place on

you, and expect you to embrace or want…as

opposed to hopes, values, and practices you

develop for yourself.

• Explore how expectations can hinder your progress

Narrative and Discussions:

•Throwing away expectations - a metaphor:

• Removing hopes, values, practices, etc.

• Creating your own path; creating your own

successes; creating a new you

• Having a fresh start in college

• Responding to others’ expectations

Facilitate Wrap-up Activity:

• “Would you Rather…”: interactive activity designed

to get students thinking about options, goals, and

opportunities they’d like to take advantage of in

college

Narrative and Discussion:

• The word Semantics (define the term)

• Semantics and students’ college years

Narrative and Discussion (continued):

•“Why do people go to College?”

• Experiencing social, intellectual, academic,

emotional, psychological growth with those

around them

• Photo album - a metaphor

• Not a game or race; but a journey or road trip

• Chance to fill memories, college years, and life

with friends, silly experiences, and life lessons.

Thank You!

• Facilitate Energizer (time permitting)