I am a futuristic individual. The future is what I plan for and I find that I do so much planning I fail to enjoy the moment in front of me. Yesterday, as I sat in the library I observed an elderly man at the table next to me pull out a pamphlet of paper and proceed to draw one of the coolest pieces I have seen. It was so authentic to him- rigid, graceful, but most importantly unique. He didn't use the center of the paper and every drawing around him was of something different- no pattern, no routine, simply him telling his story through the art on his table. As he finished, and I continued to work, I saw him pack his things into a plastic bag and proceed on his way. A simple man with an incredible talent.
In my day to day work, I meet with prospective students and I ask them to tell me: What makes your story unique? What have you done in your life that demonstrates who you are not as a student but as a person? I think when we ask this question at different stages of our life, for me its being in my early 20's, we fail to recognize how much we have truly done and how important that story is. I don't pose this question to these 17 year old students expecting an answer but I want to show them what they will learn about when they are in college. It is not always just the four walls of a classroom that provide learning but its the experience we gain as well that help us tell our story. Life has this incredible way of challenging you as you become independent but I have loved every minute of that journey.
I have been doing a lot of that reflection myself as I work on completing my thesis and examine what type of Higher Education professional I want to be in this world and more so what impact I hope to make with the future student body I work with. I started my journey with this idea, in terms of my career destination, as a representation of the student voice as a Dean of Students but I feel that my story has become more then that. While I may be the voice for the students in my future work, I want the students to be excited about what their story says about them. As educators, at any level of education, we want our students to succeed and one of the hardest things to see in Higher Education is a student facing academic dismissal or the inability to afford the Higher Education they desire. Is it a roadblock-yes but, we have an opportunity to assist where we can and provide the resources necessary to help them. The future becomes the motivator in this situation.
I think I look to the future because the future life events excite me more so then the textbook in front of me discussing the strategies of Organization Development in the workplace but I fear I am growing up too quickly. What is it that I want out of this life and more importantly how do I get there? It is a question I think we should all be challenged with at every point in our life and I never want to get to a point where I have found the answer. After all, it is the adventure that keeps life exciting. But I think it is good to remind ourselves that we are here now because of the decisions we have made. If we don't like where we are at, start developing that plan to change it and if we do life were we are at, get excited for what is to come. Take the positive from the situation and use it, after all the future can be motivating.
In my day to day work, I meet with prospective students and I ask them to tell me: What makes your story unique? What have you done in your life that demonstrates who you are not as a student but as a person? I think when we ask this question at different stages of our life, for me its being in my early 20's, we fail to recognize how much we have truly done and how important that story is. I don't pose this question to these 17 year old students expecting an answer but I want to show them what they will learn about when they are in college. It is not always just the four walls of a classroom that provide learning but its the experience we gain as well that help us tell our story. Life has this incredible way of challenging you as you become independent but I have loved every minute of that journey.
I have been doing a lot of that reflection myself as I work on completing my thesis and examine what type of Higher Education professional I want to be in this world and more so what impact I hope to make with the future student body I work with. I started my journey with this idea, in terms of my career destination, as a representation of the student voice as a Dean of Students but I feel that my story has become more then that. While I may be the voice for the students in my future work, I want the students to be excited about what their story says about them. As educators, at any level of education, we want our students to succeed and one of the hardest things to see in Higher Education is a student facing academic dismissal or the inability to afford the Higher Education they desire. Is it a roadblock-yes but, we have an opportunity to assist where we can and provide the resources necessary to help them. The future becomes the motivator in this situation.
I think I look to the future because the future life events excite me more so then the textbook in front of me discussing the strategies of Organization Development in the workplace but I fear I am growing up too quickly. What is it that I want out of this life and more importantly how do I get there? It is a question I think we should all be challenged with at every point in our life and I never want to get to a point where I have found the answer. After all, it is the adventure that keeps life exciting. But I think it is good to remind ourselves that we are here now because of the decisions we have made. If we don't like where we are at, start developing that plan to change it and if we do life were we are at, get excited for what is to come. Take the positive from the situation and use it, after all the future can be motivating.