I had the opportunity of being a part of the Greater Than Yourself (or Greater Yourself Than, depending on your nametag) retreat this past weekend. There were representatives from IFC, Pan-Hellenic, LiNK, Emerging Leaders and some other UF groups. I was asked very last minute to attend, but looked forward to it because I still felt that I hadn’t made many connections with students. Plus, I was going as the only grad assistant/facilitator, so I thought it would be a good chance for me to get closer with some of the directors from different departments. In doing all of this, I feel like I really grew and developed, plus helped so many students open their eyes to who they are as people and as leaders.
The retreat was broken down into three pieces (following the model of GTY): Expand Yourself (learning your roots and identities), Give Yourself (what are you good at, what can you give to the community?) and Replicate Yourself (GTY project!). The next three paragraphs break down what activities we did to represent the different pieces.
Expand Yourself:
They began by learning just how hard it is to be successful if they were competing against each other instead of communicating. The next day we dove deep into identities, pushing people out of their comfort zones. A few students were crying by the end of our morning activities, but it was easy to see that for the first time these students were dealing with where they came from and the privileges they’ve taken on (or been given). Watching as students learned how being white is a privilege, and/or being male, and then that connection they make with what they can do to make a difference is rewarding. Even just the connection they made with being a USD student is gratifying.
Give Yourself:
They continued to open their minds as they learned different leadership styles and what worked for them versus what was completely opposite. I highly participated in this event and learned quite a bit about my own skills and how they’re limited, helpful, distracting, etc and how I could use that knowledge when working in groups, which I found helpful. I know in this activity I was less observant with how the students reacted and more focused on how I could apply what I learned to my personal things. They also did a lot of reflection on the skills they each had and how that could really help when working in their communities.
This night included the fantastic 'Adan Show' during which the students played Extreme Minute to Win It. They were so much fun to watch. Adan came up with some fantastic ideas for them! The weekend, however, would not have been complete without some amazing Julian apple pies, so 6 pies later, we had some happy, full students.
Replicate Yourself:
On our last day there, we all committed to finding a GTY project. Each student was asked to identify one student they felt they could really help grow into a successful leader. I’m still looking for mine, but I’m excited at the prospect of building a student into a better, more effective leader. The purpose behind this being that it is so important to lift people up ahead of us, not hold them back because we’re afraid of them being better than us.
The weekend was truly a success in all aspects: not only did I meet 26 new students and got closer with the staff, but those students walked away from that retreat with a new view on leadership. The first night was a bit trying as they tried to figure out what they were doing in Julian , CA, but most of them remained open minded to the experience even if they didn’t quite understand it. I do think a few of them walked out of there with a more open mind. My proof being some of their Facebook comments.
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