In my first critical skills essay, I will write a reflective essay on my strengths as a learner, the challenges I will face here at the University of Maynooth and the experiences I plan to enjoy. most during my three years of study at this university. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay I'll start by thinking about what I believe to be my greatest skill as a learner; my teamwork skills. In recent years, my schooling focused more on pair and group learning in the later years of my high school experience. Personally, I felt like this dynamic worked better for me than constant individual learning. I found this particularly beneficial in my geography class, where I sometimes struggled to contain large amounts of information. It was easier and much more fun to share ideas with my peers. I learned different facts from different people and associated those facts with the person in the group. This helped me when I was trying to recall information for studies or exams. This allowed me to acquire better listening, time management and organizational skills. These group activities have benefited me not only in my academic life, but also in my professional life. In the workplace, I project an attentive and organized personality. I deeply believe that my past experience has given me strong teamwork skills that will benefit me here in Maynooth and in the future. With strengths also come weaknesses and challenges. When deciding to study here in Maynooth, I will encounter many challenges along the way: moving away from home, making new friends, navigating the campus, among others. The one that concerns me the most is independent learning. Looking back on my past school years, there is a marked difference between learning at secondary school and at third level. Teachers tended to leave me in the lurch when it came to learning and studying, while lecturers and professors left my willingness to learn up to my discretion. As Duffy (2015) said, as learners we have full control and responsibility for our learning and they (professors, lecturers) cannot do the work for us. I firmly believe this statement, but I find the transition from secondary school to higher education daunting as I am expected to learn primarily independently. In time, I will overcome this challenge and hope to overcome it. Finally, I reflect on what I am most looking forward to during my time at Maynooth University. Personally, it is the opportunity to join various clubs and organizations. Unfortunately, in secondary school it is not possible to join societies at school, so this is an exciting opportunity for me to broaden my horizons and find my place. I hope to make new friends with common interests and overall make my college experience as fun as possible. I will learn skills such as listening and leadership which will benefit my studies and learning here in Maynooth, but after my studies I will look for employment. As Krisitine Duffy (2015) argues, many surveys have been conducted to indicate that employers are looking for graduates with "soft skills", such as public speaking and leadership, all of which can be developed through clubs and.