University of Planet Earth

A memo about failure:

A quote from, of all people, Captain Jean-Luc Picard:

“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”

It is a quote that helps establish the very spirit of what UPE stands for, and what you should stand for as well.

Throughout our time on this great spinning rock in space, we are faced with countless attempts at bettering ourselves, our lives and our future. It’s a terrible feeling to realize something was not completed to our satisfaction. Many times we’re told not to give up, to muster up the courage and gumption to keep going, to try again.

It doesn’t address the doubt we may have done something wrong, as we look back and try and learn from our mistakes, or even worse: become too hard on ourselves in the meantime.

To not value our effort and what we learned along the way would be a waste. There really is no such thing as “starting from the beginning,” because we are so different, perhaps better, after a failure. There’s no need to throw it all away.

Doing it right doesn’t mean getting it all, but you do get something just as valuable. Experience. Take time, reflect, and get back to it as soon as you’re ready. Timing may be your only hurdle!

You’re a student for life at UPE. There isn’t a syllabus, an itinerary or a timeline, just you. You already know what to do. You’re already doing it right. That’s halfway from failure and halfway to success.

— UPE Staff

Patience—To A Point

The old cliché is patience being a virtue. There’s much wisdom in this, because we all know (or have been) that person who switched focus stopped short just to realize the finish line was but a step away.

We may have also been that person who finished and was disappointed by the results, or worse, came to the finality of something and didn’t realize it, waiting for something else. Patience has its pitfalls.

What can be done? There’s good news: it’s called “contingency.”

Have a back-up plan. The more you fixate rather than focus, the more often we bet on one thing rescuing us or that our efforts will be rewarded simply because we’re motivated and work hard, the worse the fall. Don’t get trapped by your own patience!

There are no guarantees in life, but you are, in fact, in control of your efforts. Split them up, hedge your bets and diversify your goals and your studies. A farmer plants many seeds, not just one or two. Acknowledge this and you’ll be a lot more comfortable taking those rewarding risks.

UPE Cheerleading Squad

Scare Tactic:

Last time we talked about fear, its usefulness and its ability to be an ally. This time, it's the other side of the coin: being scared. They seem similar, if not identical, but this is not always the case.

Risk is one of the best ways to embark on something new, push yourself to the next level of whatever it is you endeavor, and to reach new heights to challenge our minds and our senses.

So why not scare yourself? Maybe there's been this nagging need for a change, or you've put off starting something new. It can be as simple as a new book, a completely different course of study all the way to a new career.

With fear, we all deal with it in a different way. Fear is the abstraction of being scared. Here's a curious notion: most people actually fear being scared more than being scared of being fearful. With that said, being scared can be exciting because it's about the moment and the unfamiliar; it's also about opportunity, risk, and reward, provided you have learned about the consequences.

So go scare yourself. Do it now. Don't hesitate. Life is too short and there's a lot out there to enjoy and experience. You have nothing to lose--and if you do, consider if it's holding you back. If not, take the plunge! We have your back.

UPE Strategy Department

To Fear or Not To Fear:

Fear gets a bad rap, and for a reason--many get discouraged, hindered and even disabled by it (if things gets really bad). What was once a way for us to archaically keep us alive, we find ourselves surrounded by it in myriad different ways. We seek it as entertainment, it is used as a tool of learning (and sadly at times, control), we turn it into worry and concern when things are not going well, we subconsciously (and consciously) use it as guidance when making decisions. What if we had a better relationship with fear?

One could question: is fear in its many forms a bad thing? Perhaps it isn't that simple, especially in how we interact and utilize it. Fear can be positive. Some find it good fuel; a challenge, turning it into motivation. Others use it as a gauge of awareness as a sign to switch directions. It can be a powerfully accurate marker of where you are compared to where you were.

So, ask yourself: what does fear mean to you? Like anything, your learning and life experience therein can even utilize fear as a tool to get you ahead, especially if things aren't going as expected. The cliche "face your fears" is a cliche for a reason: it may be time to change things up a bit. Your success and satisfaction may depend on it! Thus, "We have nothing to fear, but a fear of lack of learning from it."

Keep getting better, students,

-- UPE Motivational Department

Support your fellow students!

You are not alone, and you don't have to worry that you are.

One of the grandest and liberating things a person can do for their life is attain autonomy and independence. These are essentials for taking the next step, whether it be as a budding adult trying to start a new life, or someone who perhaps has started many new lives and is moving on to the next experience. What binds these together is the willingness to learn.

This does not mean self-alienation or self-isolation. In fact, UPE students do their best by keeping those who are valuable to their learning experience and ideas of success close by. Too many, due to circumstances beyond their control, or simply being one of so few willing to take a risk, tend to think their efforts are only up to them. Use those resources! Use your networking! Reach out, reach up, and reach beyond.

The more minds, the more learning. The more learning, the greater chance of success. Together, we can make many things happen. If you know someone who is UPE-material struggling, offer a helping hand. If you need a helping hand, ask someone you respect. You'll both be glad you did.

As always, today, go learn something you didn't know yesterday to use for tomorrow.

Decisions: What are you going to do?

One of the greatest benefits of being a UPE student is having a wealth of choices and opportunities at hand. Obviously we cannot do them all--not at once anyway!

What now?

Find the area of study, be it personal or professional, that suits your life right now. Too many find that making up for yesterday or worrying about what will fit for tomorrow can be a bit overwhelming. Perhaps you have some catching up to do, and perhaps you want to leave some time for what is yet to come. That's fine! Keep yourself open--but do not over-burden yourself with those "undecided decisions."

If a person, people, interest, job, apprenticeship or even traditional classes aren't the right fit, right now, don't let them hinder you--be better than yesterday, prepared for tomorrow...and you can start today.

Still feeling bogged-down?

Ask someone you respect for help or advice. There is no shame in this--we all get over-ambitious at times, and it can cause many of us to become frantic.

Even a small decision, be it a change in routine, minimizing distractions, or re-assessing your path can do wonders for your success.

Keep learning and getting better.

-- UPE

"Moving from something familiar or beloved in order to make space to grow is one of the most difficult circumstances to befall a person. This is courage for everything to come, and builds trust in with the self. For every sacrifice there must be a purpose."

Among a small group of UPE students talking casually over coffee and tea, we all built this mantra after discussing relationships with other people, ourselves and our goals.

It was certainly important enough to share with the student body.

These kinds of conversations happen with UPE students (sometimes impromptu) that haven't realized yet they are a part of the UPE experience. Talking with other people who achieve by themselves bridges the isolating gap that comes from making your own way.

Do yourself a favor: talk amongst fellow students and faculty who support your independent learning methods, they are extremely valuable!

Listing, and Lasting--

Many effective, learning and motivated people make lists. Lists of daily things to do, lists of goals small and large, and lists of problems to solve. Lists organize our lives, intentions and they can measure our determination. We sometimes ignore them, and they become a negative, nagging naysayer. Sometimes, we complete them, proudly checking or aggressively crossing things out...and then we throw them away.

How often, though, do you make a list of accomplishments? Even writing down what you did today, no matter how small or large, can be hugely beneficial. Abstract ideas of what we want to do (or should do) versus the reality of what we've actually done can be an lovely gesture to yourself. Track what you do, so you can remind yourself of your own capability in the future. Keep these healthy lists and review them from time to time.

Chances are, you'll notice a pattern. This can be a positive way to fix your initiative if you're not living up to your potential, or you can reflect in a reasonable way that you're doing just fine.

Effectiveness in Questions and Answers--

Being preoccupied with the desired answer can cause flaws and errors in the journey to get them. One cannot fill in the blanks of an outcome with narrow thoughts and common convenience. As it is impossible to learn with a closed mind, it is also impossible to grow within rigid expectations. Answers are the natural result of profound questioning. When one stops, so does the other.

Lessons of Doors Opened, Doors Closed--

Opportunities are everywhere. For most of us, we try our best to be at the right place, at the right time with the right observation. If we're lucky, we try to utilize them the best we can. Once we do, what happens when it is time to move on?

In the best (and worst) scenarios, all things come to an end. Hopefully this means something better has come along, but sometimes the benefit we once sought has naturally changed or completed.

Open doors are wonderful things when they happen, and closing a door should put one in the mindset to seek new doors to open.

From our Philosophy Department--

Productivist Derivative: Help a person, and they will survive for a day. Teach a person to help, and they will help themselves and teach others for a lifetime.

A long-time UPE student wishing to remain anonymous sent this limerick-like poem to the Administration Office recently, and we received permission to share it with the rest of the student body:

"I am a student of UPE
What discourages many,
Encourages me.
I'm an example,
When knowledge is ample,
Effort is how I succeed.

I am a student of UPE
Productive with purpose,
Toward what I want to be.
When the day is done,
And tomorrow has begun
Each day I prove I succeed.

I am a student of UPE
My mind is practical,
Curious and free.
Through all I must learn,
Mistakes and victories I earn,
The finest academic degree.

I am a student of UPE."
..our Literary Arts department is quite thrilled!

Get tough.

Tough-mindedness is a skill in itself, even if that is all you work on for now. All strengths are built over time.

That's right, sometimes it's a good idea to take a deep breath, dig deep, break through, move forward. It's only you that can ignore and overcome those internal (or even external) voices that say... "Give up."

It might be something of a cliché to even mention such an obvious mantra, but oftentimes many UPE students go at their education alone. It's a sad reality that effort, ideas and determination are criticized, even if the results are speaking louder than any doubt.

Being "tough" is not merely a facade or a physique, its most important form is a type of stamina for the dedicated.

Penelope Trunk is a fantastic advocate for UPE's unique methods and useful practicality.

Granted, Miss Trunk is in no way affiliated with UPE, she brings up very stark, honest and challenging thoughts for anyone questioning whether or not traditional schooling is or isn't for them:

Voices of the defenders of grad school. And me crushing them. | Penelope Trunk Careers It's pretty well established that non-science degrees are not necessary for a job. In fact, the degrees cost you too much money, require too long of a commitment, and do not teach you the real-life skills they promise. Yet, I do…

Confidence: do you have it?

It's probably one of the most necessary components to both learning and whatever your definition of success, big or small, may be. Some people seem to come to confidence naturally, others it requires a bit of work.

Take a chance, turn failures & mistakes to lessons learned, and remember--the credit UPE students give themselves are the kind of educational credits that matter most. The more you do, the more you gain!

Go out there and get yours!

Direct action, passive results: this is the dichotomy of hard work at times.

Also, it can seem frustrating, because we are creatures of habit, and beings of outcome. Most of us like to know when we put in the effort, it is worth something in the end.

This is why here at UPE we always encourage people to have multiple lines of interests or studies. Being focused on only one task is excellent discipline, yet it can be daunting if you have finished a particular stage of learning. Sometimes it can take a while to continue the path.

It may sound like a silly example, but look at caves. Stalactites take a long time to grow from the ceiling, and stalagmites rise from the cave floor...all built by simple water. In this case, the water is patient, however, it always moves on to do other things, then returns.

This live stream is about as close to a UPE group photo/video as we're going to get. Don't forget to wave as it goes by!

Enjoy different perspectives.

eol.jsc.nasa.gov

Enrollment is up!

Over 1,000 students (here, anyway) and counting!

The one thing UPE has over any other traditional classroom or teaching environment are the teachers themselves: we always have plenty! Mentors, counselors, tutors--they're all available to you at any time.

That's because they're all of us (and many more willing to take us on).

One of the best ways you can learn, as well, is to teach. Maybe there's someone out there that was once just like you that is a little lost, a little frustrated, that could benefit from a UPE style of succeeding.

Rinse and Repeat:

Ask questions. Listen. Observe. Ask questions. Listen. Observe. Ask questions. Listen. Observe...
..so many times our pride, fears, rested laurels of what we think we know--among countless other things--stifles this very simple learning method. Once applied, difficulties turn into attainable goals. Challenges begin the path to success. People, opportunities and the mind opens like magic.

In a world where opinion, voicing and proclamation is en vogue, this sensible process to the contrary yields very interesting results. Try it early, try it often.

Why wait?

A new year is approaching for certain calendars! Regardless of timing, a dedicated UPE student quipped this recently about living and learning in the moment:

"It's time to stop dwelling and dealing with who was and what might be and to start living and learning with who is and what can be."

Don't let pesky abstractions take control... consider "right now." If not later, right now!

In your UPE orientation package, you may have noticed a list of a few things that you need. There's only three of them, really, but I think it would be helpful for a review:

1) Sharpen your brain. You may think learning does this, and it will, but will walls not break down faster with application and intent than they will with time? It's up to you to find a way to prime your head for what is to come (without the need of a hammer).

2) Organize. I know, I know--it's a total cliché. Isn't it odd that a lot of clichés are rather apt, though? We are not your mothers here at UPE, but we do believe everything has its place, and a place for everything, and everyone should have their own system. Why should lessons be any different?

3) Be punctual. It's true, you can be on time to a "class" that has no start or end time. You also can be late! It means to anticipate, participate and have good timing. Be aware of opportunities, and be there when you should be.

-- UPE Staff

Are you wasting time? Or are you learning?

The two are extremely hard to separate, especially in-the-moment or being close to the focused task.

Don't be so quick to judge: weeks, months or sometimes years down the road, you might realize, "Hey, I remember where (or when) I first started doing that!" This is especially true in hobbies that might have pure academic or enjoyment qualities.

Skills are funny things. The more we develop them, even for our own satisfaction, it is further evidence the key is engaging whatever it is you do. Mindfully and directly, or just because. Usefulness will start appearing when you least expect it.

The real enemy is doing nothing at all.

(On that note, we'd like to ask that "beer pong" be limited to a weekend activity and not justified as a tool to succeed. Especially when played on UPE property. We're watching you.)

Today's thought: Take time.

Hustle and bustle. In our modern world, whatever corner of the earth we inhabit--a fact of life. We're pressured by many a motivating factor, we're urged by family, we even sometimes are a bit pushy unto ourselves.

When it matters most to stop and take inventory of our efforts and paths, is when we're unconsciously overwhelmed. Sure, when we're on a good roll it seems silly to stop the momentum...but much like a fast train zipping past the sights around us, we can lose track of the little things that are just as instrumental in moving us forward.

We are not machines...well, we are, machines of biochemistry and neuro-electrical impulses, but we are not sole-duty robots. We require moments to recalculate, regroup and remember.

Simple, chosen moments are a great focusing tool. They play well with "work smarter, not harder," and if we can at least recognize when it's right to take time, do so. Meditate. Think. Consider. Ponder.

Taking time isn't "downtime," and it's not a vacation--it's pragmatic.

Try it out when you need a breather. :)

One student (and possible professor, thanks Tita!) linked us this awesome article, showing us how UPE is the original "alternative education."

How I Got my D.I.Y. Degree "How I Got my DIY Degree ... at the University of Planet Earth" by William Upski Wimsatt May/June 1998 issue of Utne Reader When I was 14, my hero was a rapper named KRS-One who dropped out of eigh...

Before Books?

Assimilating information and lessons here at UPE can be done one of two ways, both if you're fortunate: self-learning and self-teaching. This may seem like a redundancy, but I'll explain briefly the difference:

* Self-teaching involves gathering available information from an organized (and hopefully proven) source, such as a step-by-step manual, textbook, how-to video, and other lessons that only require the interest and motivation of the UPE student to take the initiative. It is an efficient, relatively straightforward, time-tested and well-traveled path. Much can be gathered in a short period, limited only by the work invested.

* Self-learning takes its cues from the world around the information seeker. Books are largely unnecessary, but often this is because new ground is being broken--there are no books! If any are to be had, a chapter here, a paragraph there, maybe in countless books, but it is the goal and the lack of knowledge that captures the interest of a UPE student. It's the path being made, possibly to the unknown, lacking structure, but rewarding a wealth of freedom and sense of accomplishment.

Both paths are perfectly acceptable. They apply toward intellectual and academic interests, and also vocational and artistic endeavors, too. A special recognition is going to the latter, the self-learning method, for one particular reason: they, many times, are the ones who end up writing the books the self-teaching sort require. They are before the books, all lessons begin this way, for someone, sometime, somewhere, until it is written down.

Don't be afraid to step forward and leave the books behind. Once in a while, it may be required, so better to get comfortable with it now! The same goes for stubborn self-learners who have done well forging paths: humble is the student who asks for help from the notes of those who've been there before...
..I can relate!

Kyle Weiss
Perpetual UPE Professor/Student

We hope everyone leveled up their critical skills and insights in 2012. Whether it's already 2013 where you are or soon to tick over, may the coming year be full of inquisitiveness, new experiences, and more of the knowledge we're all searching for. Cheers!

Don't forget to learn! Day-to-day lives, holidays, events and weather sometimes distracts. UPE study schedules can always be put off until tomorrow, but you're only as good as what information you gather today.

Each day ended should be one where you learned at least something you didn't know before: a skill, some history, even a mistake. All will be there for you when you least expect them. So why put off until tomorrow what you could be doing today?

We promise this thought was not gleaned from a fortune cookie: but even if it were, motivation comes in funny forms.

Are you looking forward to Fall? Are you looking forward to Spring? Sometimes here at the UPE headquarters we get caught up in our local seasons, but UPE also reaches every corner of the globe. That's one heck of a classroom!

With many Northern Hemisphere schools starting up again, it's perhaps a good time to recognize the change of seasons, whether they're about to cool you off or warm you up--change can be good! Change is often a friend, even if it doesn't appear as such right up front.

Life is about change, and with change, adaptability. Do you adapt your learning? Sometimes themes, goals and plans aren't always in our direct control. Dynamics of life and learning go hand-in-hand, and it's the tough, smart and yes, even lucky, that make it to another day (or in our case, another lesson). Seasons are a perfect time to look forward and reflect on what these changes mean to you.

Schooool's....out...for...summer....!
..or is it? It's kind of a sad reality that most UPE Students have to pull required "summermesters" doing what it is they do. The good news is, when you need to take a breather, you can make that decision yourself.

Take this opportunity to give some relaxation time for yourself, even if it's just a weekend, to get away and take a break. Breaks are a VERY important part of learning, as we can all burn out (or go a little dull) as we're reaching for our goals. Sure, our brains might not turn off at night, we might have big plans, but there are also moments when stopping to smell the flowers for the sake of it can be just as beneficial!

Goals will be waiting patiently for you to work toward them with a fresh mind.

Also, never stop thinking outside the box...

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