Well, that’s week 1 done! I’ll admit, it was harder than I thought it would be. I feel like when I proposed this project, I felt like I had quite a bit figured out, that it would be simple and straightforward. Research, figure out the back-end based on the results, figure out the front-end based on the back-end table. Show the WBENA our progress along the way, and put one foot in front of the other. Of course, once the project was green-lit, I realized that it wouldn’t be nearly so objective. There was quite a bit that I hadn’t fully figured out yet, including but not limited to:

• What’s the scope of the website beyond this semester?
• How can we ensure the themes of this project are properly represented?
• Are we sure about the name?
• Are we sure about the software?
• What plan do you have for disagreements other than “negotiate”?

As such, calling the first meeting was tricky for me. Since it was the first meeting, and we had more introspective matters to discuss, I wasn’t always sure where to start. I went through our (very helpful!) feedback and at times struggled to come up with actionable items (or concise conversation) for some of the more reflective items. I definitely felt the weight of everything to come and, frankly, feared that I was falling behind, which is not great when you’re the project lead.

Which, of course, leads me to my first Lesson of the Week (TM) – You’re on a team for a reason! It’s easy to get lost in what lies ahead and feel like you should have done more, but being a project lead does not mean that you’re a monolith who needs to have absolutely everything figured out. I reminded myself that we had all done so much this week, coming together, setting up our communication methods, getting organized, finding people to add to our networks, starting our official correspondence with Teryn and the WBENA, submitting edits, formulating agreements, the list goes on. Bandurapedia (keep an eye out for the new name) was only theoretical last week – now it has a release date and has begun pre-production!  I’m grateful for everyone on my team for their skills, energy, and perspectives. We’ve still got a lot ahead of us, but we’ve made great first steps. And I remind myself that part of being on a team is trusting your teammates to talk to you rather than fretting over start of project anxieties.

And hey, now that we’ve started, I feel better about calling future meetings. Newton’s first law, right? A team in motion will stay in motion, even if we hit logistical bumps along the way.

I’m also very excited as tomorrow night right after class we are having our first official project discussion with the WBENA board! It’s all becoming so real.

And so it begins. . .