Cafe Victoria

I’m coming up on 5 months at my new job. The work is very similar to what I was doing before : advising student government, developing club policies, in charge of time place and manner. However, I cannot help but want to learn something new. Here are a few things I am working on that I think could be great ways to bridge the Student Life/Student Services and Instruction Connection:

-Attending the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society International Conference as an observer
-Attend the Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Development Studies Instructor program this summer, with the intention to teach a leadership course as part of the Honors Program at Canada.

I recently received the book “The Power of Receiving” by Amanda Owen. As I started reading, I came across a section that got me thinking about how much we give of ourselves doing this amazing Student Affairs work. May it be processing Financial Aid applications, to team building exercises on a retreat, to handling discipline in the middle of the night, to coordinating the next big event. You name it, we are doing it! In all that we do, we give of ourselves. And sometimes, at the end of the day, or week or semester it can feel exhausting. I’m going on my 10th year and some days I still feel out of balance. I’m getting there though

In Owen’s first chapter of her book called “Attracting your goal”, she asks the question, ‘Why receive?”. She then shares with the reader words that describe “Receptive states” or an in other words, moments you are receiving rather than giving. She also shared words that are “Active states”, usually times when you are “giving”.

How many times to you see yourself doing the following “Active states/Giving” at work?
*Talking  *Multitasking  *Doing  *Building  *Judging
*Evaluating  *Informing  *Shaping  *Hiding  *Performing
(Owen, A. 2010, Penguin group, pg.31)

Now, ask yourself, how often to I experience “Receptive states/Receiving” at work?
*Meditating  *Allowing  *Listening  * Welcoming  *Letting go  *Watching
*Letting be  *Noticing  *Relaxing  *Accepting  *Embracing
(Owen, A. 2010, Penguin group, pg. 30)

Interesting, I’m now realizing that if I don’t allow some time to receive from my work in Student Affairs, I will miss out on the joy of it.

~On a side note, I think this process of thinking can work in any career field, including parenthood

Well, I’ve made it through my first month at my new job. In away, it feels more like my first month on a new campus. I’m excited that I get to do similar work in student affairs but this time I have a whole new campus to learn. And boy do I have a learning curve! The best part is now I feel more mature, and seen as an expert at student life. The campus has been very welcoming and very willing to show me as I learn how their software works, campus policies, etc. I really appreciate the chance to start over and try new things. I get to bring in ideas that I know have worked in the past and I also get to develop new ways of doing things. I am looking into building more partnerships with TRIO, EOPS and MESA students. I’m hoping they we can team up and use Student Life as a place for their leadership component and training needs. I maybe a veteran in the field, but this month I felt like a brand new advisor!