Making Your First Year as an SA GA Work For You

As my first year of my graduate assistantship is coming to an end, I have thought of a few things that I wish I knew in August of last year.

Go with the flow.

"When you move like a jellyfish
Rhythm don't mean nothing
You go with the flow
You don't stop"
Jack Johnson

     Chances are really great that you'll have little to no idea what you're doing when you start your job and classes. You'll be asked to advise students, research things, sit on committees, take notes in a different way, think critically, etc and you'll feel incompetent. Don't worry! You're not alone. Just go with it and suddenly you'll see that it makes sense. You're not there to know everything right from the start, but you are there to take it all in and observe it. It will come to some quicker than others--just ask those people for advice if you're confused. Those people around you are going to be with your for your graduate career so make friends with them!


Make connections.
     At first you might be intimidated by all the names and flow charts about who works for whom, but get familiar with it. You're going to want to build a network with those people. You'll need their help with programming, classes, financial aid, student issues, and advice for starters. The more people you know, the more they know you and your name gets around. Then, the time comes for a facilitator opening on a retreat and you get a phone call or email that sounds like, "So and so said you really like leading groups and working with these particular types of students. Plus, another so and and so said you were responsible and reliable. Would you be interested?" Score for you! You might then receive a phone call asking to present at a conference based on that experience. And suddenly you feel like you're making in the world of Student Affairs. And you are!
     The same goes for professors. If you're at a small school like I am, you will really have the opportunity to get to know your professors because you'll have at least one of the same professors once a semester every semester, (if you're super lucky, you'll have him/her for two classes in one semester). If you're at a larger university, you're going to have really work at it, but it will pay off. Let's say you want the opportunity to TA just to see what it's like, but you're school doesn't offer that to SA students. Well, having a great connection with  your professor might enable you to sit in on classes with him/her and help with assignment creation and grading. Or you need a chair for you thesis paper. Having a great connection to a professor or two will give you someone(s) to ask for help.
     Get out there and get your name out there for GOOD things. You want those around you to know how great you and have confidence in your abilities. Making them proud will definitely pay off for your in the end.

Go out with your GA friends and don't talk about work, class, projects, or anything related to what you do while you're on campus.
     This is one I still need to work on, but when we're able to manage it, I see the benefits. Sure, it's great to blow off some steam after a rough class or one-on-one session, but Taco Tuesday is way more fun when we talk about other things. If you're involved in a cohort like I am, your classes will all be the same, plus you'll all be working together in some capacity so it's easy to let work and class overflow into a night out. If you're disciplined enough to let those things go for more fun conversations, you'll actually get to relax! You fellow cohort members will become your friends in many capacities, but once you can bridge the gap between work and personal life, you will definitely get the full experience of a friendship.
     Sometimes it's just nice to have a change of pace. *Try* to leave work and school on campus and enjoy being out without the stress.

Get involved.
     I was worried my first semester that I would not be able to handle classes, work, and other activities. Then, by not getting involved, I felt that I was missing out on some pretty important opportunities. Sure, your schedule will fill a little and if you're a person who needs alone time to recharge, it's something you should really think about; but, you'll meet people and feel connected to your campus if you do some extracurricular activities. Even if this just means attending weekend or night events at your campus, you should do it.
     Join clubs or volunteer to help set up conferences in your area. I'm volunteering on the NASPA Western Regional Conference committee which connects me to San Diego and other volunteers from local universities who are also pursuing Student Affairs. Plus, I'll be highly involved with things during the few days of the conference getting my name out there and making sure things run smoothly. If there are clubs or organizations that allow you to train groups of students, such as a Safe Space Training, get trained for it! Then help teach it, (if you're comfortable). You'll meet lots of people and work on your public speaking ability. Help out other departments by volunteering for events. It all leads back to networking and experiences. The position you're in right now might not provide you with all the experiences you want, so you'll have to seek the other ones out, and getting involved is a great way to do that.

Find someone you can vent with. Do it regularly, then go to meetings with a positive attitude.
     Everyday is not going to be your best day. Personal life, work, and classes clash and sometimes shake things up in a negative way. That's okay. It's just important to remember that your mood effects other people's moods. So...find someone you can talk to about what's going on. Someone you trust and someone who cares about you. Then, you can talk to him/her on those crazy days, get your stress off of your shoulders, and go to that one-on-one with your student with a smile on your face. Being present is such an important lesson and one way to do that is simply to vent your issues. Of course, know that person is human, too, and probably has his/her own issues, so don't overwhelm him/her. If you need a therapist, do that for yourself. If you're having a rough day, find your venting buddy and go for it.
     Time and place are important to keep in mind, too. I would be apprehensive to go on a rant in the middle of the dining hall at lunch time. There are a lot of ears in the area and you never know who is near by. A quiet office might be a better choice for that. Don't talk badly about people when you're walking through the halls. Again, you never know who can hear you. You've been warned...


Familiarize yourself with the millions of acronyms of Student Affairs.
     Yeah...NASPA and ACPA are the beginning of it all. Do yourself a favor and look into all of the other acronyms that are used in the Student Affairs community.
     While you study those, learn what acronyms and abbreviations your university uses regularly. You'll thank yourself when someone says, "I work for the CHWP in the UC and was wondering how I could partner with TPB for a program."

Your situation is what you make of it; do the best you can to make it good.
     Again, not every day is going to be your best day; but, by creating a positive mindset for yourself, all of your days can be decent. Make your office, cubicle, or desk YOURS. Bring in a picture or two that makes you feel happy so you can look at it when you're having a tough moment. From there, it's so important to learn about yourself and your working styles. Not everyone works the same way you do and the sooner you understand that, the more successful you will be. This idea goes back to the going with the flow concept. Sometimes you can control a situation, sometimes you can't. When you can't, do your best to flow with it. You'll be less stressed and probably end up enjoying it more than you thought.
     If you're that unhappy, talk to someone with experience. That person will guide you through the process the best he/she can. It will always be up to you to take his/her advice. You can be unhappy in your working situation, or you can make the most of it. I would recommend making the most of it.

You are more powerful than you think.
     This is a new concept to me, but I'm liking it. You're a graduate student and you have some pull. Undergraduate students will look up to you and it's up to you to guide them in the right direction. Hey! You're a graduate student, so someone somewhere thought you could do it and you got into graduate school and through the interview process. You're here for a reason. Use what you're good at to further you along. Use what you struggle with to further you along, too. There's a lot to things you struggle with and learning to hone those skills will just make you a better person.
  






Your time in your program will change you. Be prepared. You will not be the same person when you enter as you are when you leave. I promise. Student Affairs programs are about reflection. You will learn many things about yourself that you never knew. And many things you tried to deny knowing.


Year two, (almost), here I come...

That's One 'i' Personality!

I have been asked the question, "What matters to you and why?" a lot lately in some form or another. And from that I have had to create promises and commitments involving this love for things that matter to me. Thus, I have spent a great deal of time holding that question in my space. I have come up with the answer that connections matter to me and from that I created two unique projects. One from which I'll need the help of the #sachat community and one which is a smaller research project within my own community. From these bigger ideas I have created a few smaller ones, (happens the other way around usually, I know).

As part of the requirement of my Student Affairs cohort this semester we were each asked to take an hour of the seminar and present about what matters to us. (Connection, if you forgot). Through a series of great connections, I was able to get my hands of 5 copies of the DiSC Personality Test. Awesome! I took this test when I was a sophomore in college and on the Leadershape retreat and was curious to see if anything had changed over the 5 years since I last took it.

Diligently we all used paper clips to mark the preferences that would determine our leadership personalities. If you are not familiar, here's a quick summary:

Dominance- emphasis on shaping the environment by overcoming opposition to accomplish results.

influence-emphasis is on shaping the environment by influencing or persuading others.

Steadiness-emphasis on cooperating with other within existing circumstances to carry out the task.

Conscientiousness-emphasis is on working conscientiously within existing circumstance to ensure quality and accuracy.

Here's a longer description.

5 years ago I was a D with a close C. Let me just tell you, 5 years can change a person immensely. I am now a high i and D is my lowest.

So what does that mean for me? For starters, I am good at persuading people.  AND, surprise, it means I like connecting to others and am good at it!! That makes sense. Other things include that I am articulate, motivating, enthusiastic, optimistic, and I like participating in groups. My ideal work environment involves social recognition, freedom of expression, counseling, and opportunities to verbalize ideas. That could explain why I am struggling to grow in my current work environment!

Some of the areas in which I need balance include time management, working with 'things' instead of people, follow-through, decision making, realistic expectations of others, prioritizing, and being more firm.

What else did I learn about myself? Well, I am self-promoting, in case you couldn't tell yet, (I have the Promoter Pattern). Besides that, I also discovered (already knew) that my goal is to get approval and to be popular amongst those I know. Another shocking discovery is that I judge others by their verbal skills. Again, this is not surprising to me as Facebook statuses that have 'your' and you're' wrong in them drive me crazy. I overuse praise and optimism, but also am influenced by them. I like to interact with others even if I am not that interested in the task, and generally don't go into group tasks with the goal of accomplishing them. I tend to overestimate people (check mark in that box!).  I thrive on meetings, committees, and conferences. (check!).

Yet, knowing all this about myself and how much I love group work, it's interesting to note that I hate groups. For example, if a friend invites me out with a group of her friends, I end up not being able to go because the side of me that wants to impress people gets too scared of what they'll think of me. So, I end up staying home and avoiding scenes like that.

Student Affairs applications? In our cohort of 4, each one of us had a different letter as our highest. Yay! That means we can all help each other where we struggle. And...in a way we all sort of complete each other. Cheesy, I know. But knowing that about each other really gives us the opportunity to learn from each other. It also makes us all aware of how we are when we work with others. This allows us to change our approach if we need to, depending on the student or staff member with whom we're working.

This applies to how I learn best and with whom I am most comfortable. Ideally, I need certain people-oriented traits in my work environment. The same goes for the classroom. That might be why I had a panic attack when there were no due dates on two of my syllabi this year. No due dates mean my time management is out of the window!

Do yourself a favor and take a few personality tests to learn more about who you are. And, in a few years, take them again! People change. We have experiences and grow from them, thus changing how we approach things. In order to be good for our students, we must know how we lead.

The Challenge of Certain Communities

It's been a struggle lately to find myself a community in which I feel at home. It's especially discouraging since my main community is within the Student Affairs realm, and Student Affairs is about creating community. As part of an exercise within my SA cohort, we were asked to choose a community we're a part of and describe it. I chose my office at the Center for Health and Wellness Promotion.
I have found myself quite challenged in that environment when it comes to community. There is a clear line dividing the clinical half of the office from the 'other' side, where I work. Often their doors are shut because they have students in their offices, or they are at meetings. We all work in offices, except the student employees and our office manager, but if we're all in our offices we don't see each other. It is sort of like working alone. Which is challenging because I live alone, so there is not a lot of interaction during the day.
The other challenge I find is that most students who come into the office don't really want to be there; they were written up for drinking in the dorms or have worse problems and need to see a counselor. So, I can't just walk out of my office and say hi to these students because of confidentiality reasons. This leaves me waiting for meetings with the group I advise or hoping they'll remember their one on one appointments.
I've always imagined a community as fun, changing and diverse. I know diversity differs in several ways, but we are an office of all white females. And, yes, sometimes there is music playing in the office, but that doesn't always make it fun.
For all of this, however, I have grown to learn that community looks differently in different places. There is some sort of community in the office, even if it's not one in which I feel like myself. I have decorated my office to make it feel mine, but I'm not a quiet person. I like being able to see people and interact. If I have learned anything, it is to be inquisitive with my next job about what community feels like in the office. I will look around to see if there are desks or offices. I will find out who comes into the office regularly. I hope that I will be able to put myself in an office environment with more student and staff interaction.
Knowing that community looks different is an important lesson and vital to me being able to enjoy and grow for the next few months in my position. Not every office has student interaction every day. And not ever office has desks together or offices. When looking for new jobs, those are things to keep in mind. I now know that my strengths are brought out when I'm connected to others, and though some days it is a challenge to feel comfortable in my position, I do know that things will and can change.

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.

One Word 2011: Faith

When my #sagrow mentor, Niki Rudolph, asked the #sachat community to come up with a one word intention for 2011, I had to take a long pause and think about it.  The first word that popped into my mind was happiness, but as I thought about it, I knew that I was limiting myself and the potential this year could have for me.  As I browsed through other's #oneword2011 choices, I realized that this community was serious, thus I needed to seriously think about energy I wanted to put out in the universe.  Other words-joy, love, hope-floated through my mind, but none of them felt right.  I knew that when I found the word that I was meant to use, I would feel it within me.  Or, that the word was already within me and I just needed to get in touch with it.
Then, I received an email about a course I am taking this semester called, Of Love and Leadership.  Included in this email was a brief description of the goals of the course, plus a question, (which I have yet to answer), and some books to read to get a better understanding of Love.  I purchased one of the books right away and began reading.  I found myself really grasping the concept of love with a goal of finding it within myself.  So, I decided, it was the word love for me.  But...I know I have love and I'm confident that through this course, I will learn how to bring it forth to be constant each and every day.  That left me with nothing again.
I found myself thinking, 'what brought you this far?'  'what do you lack and struggle with on a daily basis?'  It clicked!  Faith.  I was never raised with religion, but I have found myself creating my beliefs based on different things I learned up until this point.  I met someone here, a mentor of sorts, who holds similar ideals and new ones, so I have created a bigger, stronger belief for myself.  There is a lot of faith involved, and a lot of stones.
I am taking an extra course this semester because it looks so intriguing and I feel I can learn a lot from it.  I know there will be a lot of work involved, but I have the faith that it will make a better person.  I have been going through this Visa process so I can get married in August, but I have to have the faith that everything will turn out the way it is supposed to.  Then, my partner will be here and our life is very much up in the air, but I have faith in the powers that be and in myself that we will be happy and will make our way with our life together.  Another semester will begin and I have faith that it will be spectacular, or at least exactly what I need.
And that is how the story goes.  There will be nothing that I cannot handle, even if it feels overwhelming.  My faith will be what gets me through it and makes each day what it is.  I'm content with, even happy, that my intention will manifest and grow in exactly the way it is meant to.
Happy 2011!