Self-Reflection: Moving Forward by Looking Back

So I write to you all tonight a month after my last post, fresh from my summer work and thrown right into the thick of training for the next academic year. Not having a break to speak of at all was frustrating on some levels but I am thankful for the opportunity to be doing some great work consistently with even greater people. That being said, I wanted to get some more thoughts down as I sit here in my apartment after a long week of training.

Something I think a lot about is the past. I was a history major as an undergraduate student so I appreciate the story that every person has and the fact that everything that happens around us has some sort of context through which it happened. A professor shared a fun anecdote that explains this. He described the discipline of history as a "turtle on a fencepost", as to say that turtle could not have gotten up there on it's own so there is some story there to explore. History is the same way. Whether it is something that happened yesterday or two hundred years ago, there is a story there to learn and grow from.

Another great quote is "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." It applies to the history of us as humans but also our own personal stories. To simply forget whatever came before deprives us from an amazing learning experience. Granted, one has to be comfortable enough to take a hard look at themselves, but I think the results are very powerful. Being able to analyze and scrutinize our own behavior and choices, especially with the help of a trusted confidant, is really one of the only ways to constantly grow and develop to be the most good, prudent, and self-aware person we can be.

So, in order to be the best professionals and best people we can be, I think we all need to stop every once in a while and take a look back at where we've been in order to better get where we're going.

Great Higher Ed. & Nerd Literature!

So, I don't read often, but when I do, I tend to try to find light, relevant, and engaging books to breeze through quickly and get something out of them. All of these books fit that mold and I have read them within the past few years as I formed the desire to make this blog. Hopefully you enjoy them as much as I did and let me know in the comments if you have any other recommendations!

1. The Introverted Leader by Dr. Jennifer Kahnweiler

This book was given to me by a past supervisor who helped me start to realize my potential despite my introvertedness, which I had originally saw as a setback. It's a fun read that has a a lot of useful activities in it. It's also a useful book for anyone who works with introverts, which is everyone! Check it out!

2. The Nerdist Way by Chris Hardwick

My love for Chris Hardwick has been noted here previously for his great YouTube channel of the same Nerdist namesake. I met him recently and had him sign a copy of this great self-help book that is full of his signature comedy. This book also has some great practical tips and tricks as well as geeky activities to maintain your interest like making your own D&D "character sheet" for yourself. It will change your life is you ever felt less than for being a nerd!

3. My Freshman Year by Rebekah Nathan

I read this book a short while back for a class I was taking called "American College Student" and this anthropological look inside the world of current undergraduate life is a fun read from an outsider's perspective. The premise is an anthropology professor (Nathan) at a public research university goes undercover as a first-year student and chronicles her journey through a semester living in a residence hall and taking classes. It's an affirming detail of many of the aspects of modern collegiate affairs so for anyone looking to get an inside look, give this book a read! It's a quick read too and can also be just appreciated by anyone who loves the world of college.

Life Work Balances Podcast Episode!

Here is the fun episode I did recently for Conor McLaughlin's excellent Life Work Balances podcast. It was a really fun time and since I appreciate the podcast format, it was a cool experience to do one and help in my own way. Check it out and let me know what you think of it! Grad Student Bonus Episode: Dustin Ramsdell.

Why I Love Sustainability (And How You Can Too!)

Salutations readers!

I just wanted to jot down some thoughts on sustainability since I realized it is one of the driving forces in my life that I continually do my best to uphold as well as infuse into my work. The reasoning behind my green passion has many facets, namely productivity, saving money, and obviously less waste and less clutter.

On the topic of productivity, I see sustainability measures moving us to a cloud-based place where information and resources are easily accessible from any computer, any time, with no need to waste any paper. With the advent of far more easy to use services like Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, SignNow, Prezi, Evernote, and iCloud, it has never been easier to not only backup important documents, but be able to share and access photos, videos, and documents. Playing into my final point, I am on a personal crusade against paper so any time I can save a tree, I do so!

An adage I like to repeat when it comes to sustainability is that I am "Saving the world, while saving money." Quite a few places nowadays will give you a few cents off for using a reusable cup or bag when you visit their stores, which obviously will return your investment (ROI) in those bags or cups very quickly. Also, utilizing a filter for your tap or a pitcher with a filter will give you a ROI from not having to purchase bottled water so often and only have to periodically purchase a new filter every few months.

Lastly, with the reduction of clutter and waste. I continually keep a stern eye to the things around my living space. If I don't need it, I either recycle it, sell it, or donate it if I can. I see all of these as sort of paying it forward while also (at times) paying me. At the very least, it's clearing up space. As much as I have been moving lately, keeping my life streamlined is important to me and it also keeps me less scatterbrained when trying to find things I need.

So that's my two cents. I'd appreciate any helpful tips you'd like to share that you do to do your part for this floating rock we all call home. 

How Do You Know When You're Doing Too Much?

I'm sitting alone in my room, relaxing after a busy week, looking forward to a slow Friday before the weekend of duty that awaits me. I've been pulled in a lot of different ways finishing out this spring semester as a graduate student. After speaking with some colleagues and thinking about what I wanted to post tonight, I had the thought; how do you know what you're doing is too much?

I'm a big proponent of productivity, positivity, and life/work balance (as I'm sure many people are) but I feel as though I don't know if there is a single moment or feeling that lets someone know they need to scale back. Remarking to my colleagues and fellow graduate students about my various involvements, I had an epiphany that I felt like I am dipping my feet in a lot of different ways and being so busy can be a detriment even though I'm getting a lot of great experiences. If I can't put myself fully into each experience, is it really worth it? Is it more beneficial to do more things with less focus or less things with more focus? I know my reasoning for doing this comes from the anxiety of the imminent job search process. I want to be the most competitive candidate I can be going into the gauntlet of interviews next year. Since I am working as a hall director after being a resident assistant for two years, my drive to get outside that box has lead me to all sorts of great experiences in student affairs, volunteering my time to see how the other half lives outside of the residence life bubble. I can only hope it will all pay off in the end.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this or anyone's anecdotes about the constant struggle for balance.

Why Doctor Who is Awesome.

So I am currently watching some Classic Doctor Who for the first time, specifically the tenth anniversary episode The Three Doctors from 1972-73, in the spirit of the upcoming fiftieth anniversary of the series. Upon viewing these new adventures, I realized what it is I think I love about the show and science fiction at large. It showcases a person traveling throughout all space and time, encountering diverse species and treating them all with the utmost respect and understanding. The Doctor always tries to help and whenever a conflict occurs, never uses violence and always gives his enemies a chance to peacefully resolve their differences. As it relates to student affairs, I feel like this show and most science fiction can teach us a lot about acceptance and inclusivity. It comes easy to The Doctor and his actions can showcase how easy it should be for us to be respectful of difference in others, wherever we might find it.

"Fit" This Article in for a Read.

"Fit" This Article in for a Read.

This great article, titled "A Good 'Fit' - Student Affairs, Fitness, and Your Professional Development" was written by a great colleague here at Rutgers University, Krista Kohlmann, and essentially encapsulates what I want to do with this blog. It makes connections through all my interests to guide my own development as a person and a professional in the ultimate goal of doing the best work I can. Enjoy!