Body Image and Our Role

In the proper honor of #NEDAW11 (National Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2011), I felt a post about body image would be appropriate.  How many of you know someone who is struggle with disordered eating or an eating disorder?  You all better raise your hands!  You might not be aware of it, but there is someone in your life (especially if your life involves college students) struggling daily with a battle that is classified as an addiction.
Since starting my position at the Center for Health and Wellness Promotion, I have personally met with six students who are living with either an eating disorder or disordered eating.  What's the difference, you ask? Eating disorders are diagnosed as Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder (BED), Bulimia Nervosa, and Obesity and/or Overweight.  Disordered eating includes symptoms of any of these diseases, but not at such an extreme level.  Counting calories, over exercising, binging, skipping meals, etc are just some of the 'lesser' symptoms of someone struggling with disordered eating.  Basically, if what you're consuming (or not consuming) is a risk to your health, it's a problem.  Back to those six students I've encountered since being here-three of them have been hospitalized numerous times for their disorders.  Two of them show signs of disordered eating: stress causes them to eat more than they think they should, so they end up at the gym for several hours burning off those extra calories.  One student is battling her body image and losing.

While I think all of those disorders are super important to learn about, and that there are numerous and varied reasons why they began and grew in the first place, I believe they are the end result of a long struggle against an image of what is considered beautiful.  And that is where I write from today.

We, as Student Affairs Professionals, work with students on a daily basis: lots of students on some days.  And sometimes lots of other professionals.  We talk about the weather, the news, our departments, universities, etc.  We gossip about each other (don't even try to deny it!), celebrities, what's in and what's out.  The Oscar's are coming up and the Grammy's just passed.  The only way to be nominated for a 'best-dressed' award is to show some skin (and look good doing it).  Remember when Jennifer Hudson was...full figured?  Me neither.  But those incessant Jenny Craig commercial remind me that she must have been overweight once upon a time. How about Kelly Clarkson?  She was the small town girl trying to make it as a singer on the first American Idol (what number are they on now, by the way?)  The media is giving her a hard time because she's put weight on.  I think she looks good, but I might be alone on that. Or Carrie Underwood?  These are women who are supposed to be our idols and either they just keep losing weight, or they're under fire for putting some on.  Of course, I'm not against people losing weight for their health or because they want to feel more comfortable with themselves, but if the media continues to throw images of diet pills, Nutrisystem and cellulite cream in our faces, what are we expected to think?  'Umm....I'm fat.'  'I want to look like those people who have been dieting.'

That's a lot of unfair pressure to put on individuals.  And I know the focus is generally on women, but this affects men, too.  The media is unfair to them, as well.  Just walk into Abercrombie and Fitch and, male or female, you will feel insecure (and overdressed.).

This is where I believe Student Affairs Professionals can really make a difference.  We interact and meet with students constantly.  Our students look up to us to make a difference in their lives whether or not they know it.  Instead of, 'You look great today.'  we could say something positive about that student's personality.  We can also mirror this behavior with other staff members to encourage them to feel good about themselves.  We can denounce stereo-types about beauty by making sure all types of beauty are represented in our offices and waiting areas.  We can sit with students who are struggling and be that positive role model in multiple ways.  Instead of gossiping about who looks good or bad in what outfits, say kind things.  And this goes for you personally, too.  I know if I eat a few pieces of chocolate, I get down on myself.  It gets worse if I spend an entire day reading, watching television and playing on my computer.  I immediately jump to the conclusion that I'm fat and lazy.  Holding those images in my mind only encourage me to take that negative attitude into my work environment.  If I call myself fat for having eaten 'too much' around someone who might be physically larger than myself, how would he/she feel?  How would you feel?  How have you felt in that situation?

It's time to take body image to a positive and loving place where everyone can appreciate who they are.  As Lady Gaga says, 'I'm beautiful in my way cause God makes not mistakes.'

To change GA positions or not to change?

It's the time of year when the first year graduate assistants of the University of San Diego have to decide whether or not they want to stay in their current position for the following year.  This means (scary!!!) that we have to consider being a second year graduate assistant and what we have (or have not) gotten out of our roles up until this point.  This phenomenon will be studied next year by a great friend and colleague of mine, @StephLLynch for her action research project, and she's asked me to take notes of my experience so I can aid her in research when the time comes.
This is the beginning of my thoughts, feelings, ideas, etc.  I know that while I have gotten a lot out of my role at the Center for Health and Wellness Promotion, that I was not in my 'home.'  Health is important to me, but in this role I am missing out on a lot of Student Affair-sy things that are happening because my department is not as well connected.  I have been honest with my supervisor from the start so she was not surprised when I told her that I would be pursuing other options for my second year.  She, nicely enough, is encouraging me to look for a new experience, her advice being, "It's not often that you can change positions easily and the more experience you can get now, the better."  I think I am on that page, as well.
I decided to ask some other supervisors, peers and mentors their opinions on position changing to just make sure that I was making the best decision in an attempt to change.  Here is a mix of their responses to my question:

~It's better to get depth than breadth.
~It's better to get breadth than depth.
~I would prefer not to have train someone each year.
~In a selfish way I want my GA to stay, but I understand that it's better for the student to find that fit.  I know if I had a student who didn't fit well into the role, I would want him/her to have the option to switch.
~I think it's important to get the experience now and not to get 'pigeonholed' into one position.
~I encourage my students to seek out new options and experiences.
~In other GA roles it makes sense, but not for the GA role I oversee.
~Do what feels best for you.

As you can see, I received a variety of feedback, which left me feeling confused.  I know people all have preferences, but at least try to be united in your response as a staff of GA supervisors.  As a soon-to-be second year student, I feel unnerved that I might not get a position for which I apply because that supervisor would prefer a student who will stay with him/her for two years.  I am looking for certain experiences, but I might not receive them if an incoming first year, who has similar experiences and skills to me, interviews for the position I want simply because it will make it easier for the supervisor not to lose me next year.  I know that as a supervisor you do have to makes sacrifices by having GAs because that means you do not get trained staff for too long, but if you're going to have GAs, be fair to them.
Of course, with that said, I know there are several members of the supervisory team who would love to have a GA for just one year in order to share knowledge with them and give them experience.  I've met with several supervisors who encourage that behavior, too.  It is a challenge, however, to interview with someone who I know would prefer an incoming first year to me.
Those who are changing roles (two of the four in the first year cohort) are encouraged to chose up to as many as five role interests for next year, with the fifth one being your current position.  I am interviewing for three positions: Assistant Community Director, Women's Center, Grad/Law Life.    I have decided that I want to pursue Residence Life, at least for several years following my graduation.  This is in part because that is where the hiring is, especially for entry level positions, and also because you get the most experience in 'everything' working in Res Life, which will transfer to other positions later in my career.  Getting the ACD position would be a great stepping stone, though none of the positions would be a let-down.
Interview day for the incoming first years is March 7th, so I am expected to be done with my interviews by then.  The supervisors do not make a decision until the end of March and we are hoping to find out where we are placed by the beginning of April.  It's a long way away, which is a challenge because if I do not get the ACD position, I need to find a new apartment.  It would be nice to find out sooner so I can start moving before the craziness that ensues towards the end of a semester of graduate school.
These are just some of the worries that are on my mind currently.  I am excited about the prospective change, however.  I enjoy mixing things up and getting new experiences, so I hope to find that with this role change.  I'm also looking forward to meeting the potential new Student Affairs grads at the interview day in hopes that it can start a bond that will bring them to campus in August for training with a positive attitude and an excitement for what lies ahead.

What have you done today that requires a degree in SA?

This question has been on my mind since it was posed at the NASPA Drive-In held at Chapman University last Friday, the 11th.  I've been trying to make sure that each day I do something that is unique to the degree I'm pursuing in Student Affairs.  I want it to be worth it.  I'm spending my money and my time on tuition, at classes, doing homework and working with students, and it would be an unfortunate waste of my talent if I didn't do something each day that made my degree worth all of the work I am putting into it.
I began this semester with the goal of trying to be a better advisor.  Being new to the advising scene with little guidance from those who preceded me, I had no idea what to expect.  My current GA position is new to the Student Affairs cohort, so I spent last semester trying to get a feel for what the expectations were, which left my advising role on the back burner.  I'm now more comfortable with the expectations of my GA position and am enjoying the challenges that come with it, but I feel that my connection with students is limited.  So, I sent out a Doodle survey to my students to find out when they would be free for advising appointments.
I'm now only a week into my advising appointments, but I can feel a change.  A change in myself and a change in the way they communicate with me.  Through a colleague's action research project, I have a rubric to work with which helps me rank my student's levels of development and then track it as the semester continues.  Obviously, this benefits @nkajimoto's research, but it also helps me understand where my student's are at developmentally so I can be the best advisor possible, (with room for plenty of growth).
Besides these wonderful advising appointments where I am connecting with and learning about the students, I'm also trying to make the weekly group meetings more meaningful.  This week I focused on personal branding.  I feel like the discussion, (or what felt like a lecture from me), was lost on them.  They do not yet see the importance in making connections and networking.  I understand how difficult it must be, especially as freshmen and sophomores, to see the importance of the impressions and connections they make now and how they will affect the future, but I do hope the information with which I provided them will start to take root and grow over the next few years.  I know that, personally, I would have benefited a great deal from having some guidance in how to make positive and meaningful connections as an undergraduate student to members of the faculty and staff on my campus.
I was fortunate enough, however, to make a strong connection with my mentor, Mr. Art King, from my undergraduate alma mater, Towson University.  He wrote the recommendation letter that led to my acceptance at the University of San Diego, as well as spoke to my current supervisor about how I shine as an employee and student.  I also interviewed him for a project last semester and might do the same again this semester.  As I explained this to my students, I could see two of them shaking their heads and smirking.  Others were just staring off into the distance, disinterested.  Maybe I should have presented the material in a different format.  Maybe I felt like they were further along developmentally then they really were.  Yet, I remember wanting to plan for my future early on in my undergraduate career even though I was not really sure what my future would look like.  I knew graduate school was in the picture, and if not that, at least a job where I would need positive references and a strong foundation in something.  I took advantage of leadership opportunities, especially ones at which I knew 'important' people would attend.  I worked/volunteered for a few clubs and departments on campus, but became fully involved.  I do not feel a commitment like that from my students and am concerned about them, but also about my ability to lead.
Though this blog has strayed slightly from it's title, I do believe it is all connected.  As part of my attaining a degree in Higher Education Leadership, I attend classes that help me learn who I am and, by doing that, how I can help students.  I am fortunate enough to be a part of a great cohort of 5 who consistently support me and listen to me.  The faculty members with whom I work are amazing, talented and challenging.  They force me out of my comfort zone to find out things like how do love and leadership connect?  Or how does knowing myself help me to better understand my students and my line of work?  I work with students in an attempt to develop them and through that I, too, develop.  And that is how, everyday, I do things that require a degree in Student Affairs.