Doris Lessing's quote perfectly captures the essence of Honors 101. The very idea of ​​the semester can be summed up in this quote: “This is what learning is. Suddenly you understand something you've understood your whole life, but in a new way.” – amazes me, as does the number of topics we covered in such a short period. In high school, we wasted an entire year just covering the topic of racism, yet we managed to cover that topic and numerous others in a shorter time, while gaining a more deeply rooted and genuine understanding of the topics. Each topic presented new ideas on the overall topic of self and society in ways that seemed completely nonsensical until the ideas were discussed in class. While many significant topics were covered throughout the semester, three significant topics greatly developed my understanding of both myself and society, and now, looking back and recognizing the impact of each topic, allows me to appreciate personal growth that I did, without the context of this lesson, it didn't even seem possible. To start, Ordinary People by Judith Guest really struck a chord with me. How can such a seemingly simple book arouse such vivid emotions? In the discussion, many of us thought we were better than people like Beth or Conrad, but if we faced the hardships this family faced, who among us says we would be any different? Every single person faces numerous difficulties on a daily basis, but what we get out of these situations really makes a difference. Sometimes, the thought of accomplishing something seems so far-fetched because the constant battle between self and society forces people to deal with their problems in various ways. Due to societal pressure…middle of paper…people choose to act as “groups, organizations and even nations” because their strength “lies in part in the sense of efficacy of people who can solve their problems and improve their lives through concerted effort.”2 However, collective efficacy still comes from self-efficacy, which is rooted in the individual The very belief that a single person possesses the ability to change not just a group of people It's astonishing. Yet, from this concept, a question comes to mind. If we change the ideals of a group of people, can't we also change the ideals of society as a whole? The whole concept baffles me, but at the same time time, it makes perfect sense since it only shows to a further extent how great the idea of ​​self is compared to society. Therefore, we still have the key to change in every situation, regardless of the pressure society puts on us.