June 21, 2021

Over the weekend, my small group completed the virtual escape room. We missed the time limit by a mile! The concept and set up was different than what I was expecting but I think it worked better than what I imagined. Even though the directions and parameters left something to be desired, I feel it was a positive experience and would love to see it leveraged for other groups.

-Jessica Butel, Doctoral Candidate

June 17, 2021

This week a virtual escape room has been assigned. Small groups were created within each cohort to attempt this activity. I’ve never had the opportunity to attempt an in-person or virtual escape room but have been very interested in trying something like that. When I first heard about the activity, I immediately became curious about leveraging the platform for a local non-profit I work with that presents different security topics on a monthly basis. Depending on the quality of the activity, I think it could provide a unique experience for the members.

My small group is looking to meet later this week to attempt the virtual escape room and so far I am only reading positive things about the experience. I can’t wait to engage in the simulation and gather a first-hand perspective which may help create a similar project for undergraduate students. I think this always presents a new facet to the cohort members because for the first time, we will have the opportunity to see each other during times of focus and effort. As the first time I will be speaking to most of the team, I am eager to get to know my fellow students and see them in action.

-Jessica Butel, Doctoral Candidate

June 7, 2021

After finishing the assigned reading, Atomic Habits by James Clear, I plan to review some of the additional materials the author provides. Towards the end of the book, the author addresses an earlier complaint I voiced concerning the natural talent of individuals. I really appreciate the note that individuals do have natural aptitudes that should be considered as part of the equation. I always found it frustrating when writers lean against the theory of “anything is possible if you try hard enough” because it discards the natural tendencies of people.

An additional strategy that I intend to implement is working on making my bad habits more painful. Working from home makes it extremely easy to cheat on a diet because all the bad tasty food is just a few steps away and very tempting. Attending to distractions is another bad habit I would like to break. I believe that associating negative consequences with this habit as discussed by James Clear may help to break this perpetual cycle.

I am excited to take the points covered in Atomic Habits and work them into my daily lifestyle to make some changes for my future.

-Jessica Butel, Doctoral Candidate

June 3, 2021

Atomic Habits by James Clear is not a book I would typically select for myself. However, in a testament to not knowing everything, I’ve been enjoying the subject matter. James Clear hooks the reader during the introduction to his content by recounting his struggles from a high school baseball accident. I found the story compelling but missing recognition that individuals will not always excel in every area no matter how frequently they might concern themselves with practicing the building blocks of a habit.

James Clear dissection of habits to the basic components is an extremely appealing way to approach building better behaviors. Specifically, I want to work on the showing up component of better habits. Sometimes it is difficult for me to get started on large tasks or projects because they are so massive and it feels like no matter my contribution it will not make an impact. I think if I modify my approach to fall in line with the Atomic Habits method and commit to reading project material for two minutes a day is a step that might be possible for me.

I look forward to additional exploration outside of my reading comfort zone and finishing up this book.

-Jessica Butel, Doctoral Candidate

May 26, 2021 - Day 3

Oh man! I did the first assignment - a video introduction. I may have sunk more time into perfecting my submission that I should have, but I feel happy with the result of my hard work. I wanted to put in a "doctoral" amount of work as a small demonstration of my commitment to the program.

I think the soft skills side of this journey is going to be a good opportunity for me to grow my skill set. If I aspire to teach some day, it is good practice to make engaging content that will capture the listeners attention. I believe my video hit that mark, but I can't wait for the day I look back and think of all the ways I could make something like that better.

As a bonus, I used video editing software for the first time and I think it all came out well.

-Jessica Butel, Doctoral Candidate

May 25, 2021 - Day 2

There is no way I will manage to capture my thoughts every day on this journey however I plan to update as frequently as I can. This morning I was considering the motivation behind purchasing this domain name (drbutel.com).

A few weeks after submitting my application for the Doctor of Science in Information Technology (DScIT) program during the agonizing wait for the admission decision, I spontaneously discovered the domain (drbutel.com) was for sale. I figured by purchasing the domain, I would manifest my admission to the program. And what do you know, it seems to have worked!

-Jessica Butel, Doctoral Candidate

May 24, 2021 - First Day of School

When I sat down at my computer this morning, I rushed to check my school email. Today is the official start of the inaugural cohorts for the Doctor of Science in Information Technology (DScIT) program at Middle Georgia State University (MGA). I reviewed the syllabus for the first class and confirmed my access to everything but we didn't get homework assigned on "Day 1." (Small victories!)

For this first course, the students are expected to keep a record of how our opinion of the program develops overtime and we learn more about the program. So I decided to collect my thoughts here, the domain name must have secured my admittance to the program.

I am excited and nervous as I stand on the doorway, still wondering if I really should go in. Do I even belong at this party? Do I have anything to add to this conversation? There is surely only one way to find out: Take that step inside.

I chose to pursue this terminal degree as a way to expand my horizons even further. By studying for a DScIT, I will push my boundaries past that of "just security" as I consider all aspects of an environment as I did earlier in my career. I intend to leverage this degree to climb the corporate ladder further. I also hope to teach at the college level someday, to demonstrate how far someone can go and make sciences more accessible to those who might be considered a minority.

This is going to be a wild ride and I can not wait to see where it will end up.

-Jessica Butel, Doctoral Candidate