Selina’s final reflection

I heard Polyhouse was a lot of work, but its impact on my life exceeded my expectations. Growing up in the city, I wasn’t used to the kindness, generosity, empathy, and warm-hearted spirit I saw reflected in the many new people I met through Polyhouse. I knew this course changed a deserving family’s life, but I wasn’t expecting it to have the impact it had on mine or my classmates’.

Everyday of working on Polyhouse introduced me to a new life lesson. I’ve compiled a few that I can remember below.

Course-work related lessons

• Project management is tough! Handling so many people, materials, and needs were overwhelming! I am awed by how admirably the PMs and team leads handled it under pressure. Somehow they managed to do it, props to Jon B., Mike, Jamie, Shane, Nick, Eric and Kaitlin!
• I can see how all of what I learned in previous group projects applied to this course. We had the huge class, and sub teams within the class that had to function within and among teams. Having these skills made our groups run more smoothly, as people were using teamwork to reach a shared goal instead of being held back by conflicting group interests. It was an exemplification of Cal Poly’s “Learn By Doing” motto.

Practical stuff I learned through Polyhouse

• What construction tools are!
  • I’ve never touched a sledgehammer, circular saw, rototiller, or any of those fancy gadgets, but working on logistics with Doug gave me a lot of insight into the world of construction. It was fascinating and eye opening to realize things I’d never thought about before–like how outdoor wood needed a different type of screw than indoor wood.
• How to drive a truck (and get it stuck in the dirt)
  • I drove a truck for the first time during Polyhouse! It was all going smoothly, but as I was backing up the mulch into the yard I got the truck stuck. I definitely will not be driving over piles of dirt anymore. Our class is grateful to have Cassidy so willing to lend her classmates the use of it even though we got it in a pickle here and there. I just wanted to emphasize how unselfish my classmates were, including but not limited to Eric and Tracy, in trusting us with their vehicles or volunteering it for Polyhouse.
• How to make due
  • We were in dire need of wheelbarrows, and we were losing them fast. As soon as we bought one another would break. But great problem solvers like our veteran volunteer Alden fixed two wheelbarrows using ingenious methods that saved us money and time. A wheelbarrow’s wheel punctured? Just take the good wheel of another broken wheelbarrow. Lost the nut to a wheelbarrow? Make your own wheel fastener with a drill bit.
• How to attach a hitch
  • More truck stuff!! Rick and Alden showed me how to back up into a hitch (it’s good to use another person to guide you!) and attach it.
• How to save your fingers/thumb from the hammer
  • Did you know that you should keep your hand down the hammer’s arm the same length of the actual item you are hammering? In my instance I was hammering a stake down and our contractor Rick was kind enough to teach me that I could get my fingers badly injured if I didn’t keep my digits a safe ways from the actual hammer head. Thank you Rick!

Personal stuff

• It’s ok to let guys do the manly work!
  • There are just some things guys are more useful at besides holding their ladies’ purses. When Michelle told me how Kyle ripped two square feet of dirt from the ground so easily, we more or less accepted our fate of working on smaller projects that didn’t require feeling inferior to the male musculature.
• Perseverance
  • When I saw my classmate Dan working so hard even though I imagined his lobster red sunburn was painful, I never saw him complain or give up. He always dragged his body back to work and was always happy to lend a hand.
• Persistence
  • The construction team is the most accomplished group in Polyhouse. Even though their scope seemed impossible to get done in a few weeks, they found ways to complete it and never let anything block their way to giving the Todds a better home. I admire how relentless Jen was in finding donors, and for setting aside time generating contacts for teams outside of her own group. Working with Jamie, I saw how she pushed her team to never give up. Her stamina and determination was inspirational.
• Generosity
  • Our class could not accomplish anything without the donors–whether it was with their invaluable skills, materials, or time. The care that our donors had for their fellow community members is something I will always remember about my Cal Poly experience. The altruism the community had for this wonderful family was amazing. The Todds were practically strangers to them, yet everyone was willing to offer their help. Knowing that so many people believed in our cause and supported us the whole way through was an endless source of comfort when times got tough and gave me a lot of optimism for the future. Thank you!