Weekly Geek Outs - 02/19/16

Greetings!

Here's what is on my mind this week:

• The Walking Dead

Walking Dead came back from its mid-season break this week, and wow, it came back in a big way! Picking up right where the last episode left off, we were treated to an epic episode with a lot going on, but it all worked. It is easily one of the best episodes of the series so far, and I'm really excited to see where the rest of the season goes from here. I enjoy watching this show as it airs with my partner, since it gives us one more thing to share and it is a nice Sunday night ritual before the work week begins. I've been with this show since the beginning, and I'll (most likely) be with it until the end.

• Valentine's Day

Connecting to the previous item, this past Sunday was also Valentine's Day, which I spent with my partner, enjoying a nice, quiet day at home. We had a tasty breakfast, wonderful dinner (that I made, which is a rare occurrence), and some of our favorite wine that we have held onto since we were in New Jersey for Winter Break since we can't find it up here in Maine. We also enjoyed The Walking Dead together to cap off the night. It was really great to be able to spend that quality time together, and it continues to reinforce the importance for us of making the time on our schedules to have this with each other.

• RA Interviews

Something that has been (and will continue to) keeping me busy lately is rolling out this year's hiring process for Resident Assistants. I'm taking a bigger part in this for this cycle, and it has been quite the learning experience. It is fun to see all of the raw enthusiasm from the students involved, and it is helping me be more detail oriented organizing everything. We just started a few weeks ago, and the process will go until about this time next month, so there is still plenty to come, but so far it has been a positive experience and I look forward to see how the rest of it will go!

Thanks for stopping by!

Tips to Connect Your Students to Mental Health Resources

* This post was originally featured on The OOHLALA Blog.

Our students deal with a lot of stress, anxiety, and social pressures. And they’re not alone. According to a report cited by a Huffpost College article, the number of students who report suffering from depression, anxiety and social anxiety, is rising. These students need guidance to develop the skills necessary to cope with their mental health issues.

Here are some tips to help students utilize mental health services on campus and set themselves up for success:

Use Mental Health First Aid

Every student affairs professional should take a  Mental Health First Aid course. This training helps you to gauge the intensity of someone’s depression, substance use, anxiety etc. It also trains you on what to listen for and what to ask.

One of the things this training provides is “mental health literacy.” It teaches you to define terms like “depression,” “anxiety,” “trauma,” and “substance abuse.” Through understanding these terms you will be better prepared to assess your student’s needs.

The Mental Health First Aid course also provides tips on how to have conversations with students so that they feel safe and able to open up. For instance, they recommend trying to avoid “why” questions. “Why” questions often come off as accusatory, or judgmental. Put your students at ease by not questioning their reasoning or actions. Be patient, welcoming, and empathetic.

Offer Personal Support

Some students won’t want to go alone to get help, or just don’t know what the experience is going to be like. The more you can ease their concerns, the better. Perhaps go with them or explain how a typical session will go. If you know any of the counselors you can give a personal recommendation or help the student figure out who they’d be most comfortable talking to.

The more we can personally guide students towards connecting with mental health resources, the better. The trust you’ve built through assessing where they are, listening to them, and validating them will help you guide and support them as they take the emotional risk of connecting with a mental health professional.

Follow Up Afterwards

It’s important for us to continue to support our students as they connect with mental health support. You should check in regularly to make sure everything is going well and to see if there is anything more you can do to help.

Troubleshooting the Mental Health Process:

• If the person or place they’re going to isn’t a good fit:

  • Help them find someone or somewhere else to go.

• If they’re having difficulty opening up:

  • Explain how important this process is and how much help it can be.

  • Help them set goals for their discussions so the student feels more prepared going in.

Students might give up if they feel frustrated. Being there to support them in getting counseling is important. You need to help your students commit to the process so they can get its full benefit.

It’s important that the student receives continued validation and recognition for making the effort. It can be emotionally exhausting to put yourself out there and to work through some perhaps deep seated emotional baggage. Make sure your students know that you support them.

Getting mental health support is a great undertaking for anyone. Students, especially are particularly vulnerable due to the amount of independence they’re currently figuring out. You play an important role in helping students. It’s up to you to communicate the value of mental health resources; connect students to these resources; and ensure the process is going smoothly for them. The stresses of modern college life are certainly a heavy burden, but with the right support, every student should be able to shoulder them and succeed.

An Open Letter to Future Academic Advisors

Dear Fellow Newbies,

I had a very visceral “Lean In” type of moment with myself a few weeks ago. Having just received a promotion and in the midst of launching head first into conference season, I began to wonder whether or not I should request an update to my business cards. I still had about 300 left with my previous title having only started my job a year ago, but I felt this deep-seeded urge to say to the world “Hey I worked hard, I earned something, and you all should know!” But then that creeping, obnoxious little voice in your head, the same one that tells you that maybe you’re not entitled to an opinion at so-and-so meeting, said loud and clear “Whoa there lady, who do you think you are? Don’t be a show-off. Don’t make noise because you’re already pushing your luck.” But then the spirit of Sheryl Sandberg whispered in my ear and said “Hey stop that! Claim your new title. Get some coffee, too” and all was right with the world again. 

That issue that we all face sometimes, feeling “like a fraud” in your job, because you are brand new to a position, or too young, or too inexperienced…maybe that never goes away. One thing is for sure, however, that if we let that voice get too loud, we can keep ourselves from really making a difference in the places that we work. As graduate students and new professionals, we sometimes need to remind ourselves that we are more than capable. We can be great educators and show everyone that we understand the complexities of the field, can apply our training, and really discuss the big issues higher education is facing today. 

Sitting in a room of soon-to-be graduates excited about their upcoming post-graduation adventures is a great re-energizer. This time of year is always tough to get through---between the grim weather and the post-holiday lull (and for me, the pacing of a quarter school like Drexel), life seems to be sucked out of you on a daily basis.  “You are here for them”, a mantra muttered under one’s breath regularly when speaker contracts, committee meetings, and purchasing card reconciliation bog down the day-to-day. It’s a reminder that we are in a unique position with a heavy responsibility – as mentors, teachers, soundboards for future aspirations—operating in a very strange hybrid world in which our students must navigate intellectual pursuits, identity development, and financial and personal hardship all at the same time. So then how can we become better allies to our students (in all senses of the word)? How do we move the profession forward in order to make sure that 10, 15, 20 years from now we still have the privilege of getting to do this job? 

I think it comes down to that educator’s mantra…you know the one, that phrase that’s haunted your subconscious since Student Affairs 101: theory to practice, theory to practice, theory to practice. I refuse to believe that I was the only one that had nightmares about this…”Dear Ed.M. student, we will send your Master's degree in the mail once we receive visual confirmation that the words ‘Theory to Practice’ have been tattooed to your face” Etc., etc. Before the big kid money, when ‘the job search’ was an ever-present cloud looming over your head and you spent your days figuring out if it was actually possible to buy gas using only nickels, at least one chunk of your day--every day in fact--was devoted to theories and readings and readings and theories. Magolda and Chickering and Dewey, oh my! You remember, when you were at the height of paper-writing hysteria, you started wondering things like whether you should get a “Challenge and Support” t-shirt made and hey, maybe faculty would be more generous with your grades if you wore it to class once in a while. 

Two years into the field I have slowly come to realize that the kind of developmental and educational psychology foundation we received has been extremely critical in becoming an effective educator, especially when the tough cookie (you know the one) knocks on your door hoping for some direction. When I think back, however, I realize that for whatever reason I didn’t make it a point to do the deep dive with theory as applied to academic advising, the role I had always seen myself taking on later. Student Life, Residential Living…those were always the coursework’s main focuses it seemed, with the nuances of career and academic advising as peripheral inquiries if we had the energy between writing papers and working our assistantships. Or maybe at that point I just lacked the insight (and time) to analyze the intersectionality of student development theories and the specific realm of advising I find myself in today. 

After picking up a copy of NACADA’s Academic Advising Approaches (2013) to prepare for a number of academic program interviews, I discovered two new friends that somehow captured in neat(ish) models the spirit of student mentorship I had always strived for: Socratic Advising and Advising as Teaching. Socratic advising involves the use of reflective exercises such as journaling and goal setting. Advisors facilitate lines of questioning that encourage students to think about the logic behind their decision-making. If you’ve ever had a student say that wanted to be an engineer but then share that they were not “a fan of doing math” you’ll see why this is a useful tool. Advising as teaching posits the idea that you are in fact a complete educator, with the ability to provide the student an experience similar to what they would get in a regular classroom setting (and I would dare say, better). You get to know your students and their academic strengths and challenges. Advising sessions have learning goals, action plans, and follow-ups and, for the really ambitious, you might even create an advising syllabus at the beginning of the academic year to really frame the expectations for the relationship and the purpose of your future meetings. Both of these models pull from the many student development theories we’ve learned and can be used to help you impact the student experience in positive ways—which is always the goal at the end of the day, isn’t it? (More on these two models if you happen to be interested in seeing my session ‘Perspectives on Socratic Advising and Advising as Teaching for New Professionals’ taking place at ACPA 2016 on March 7th in Montreal)

All of this comes down to a very important question—So What? Who cares? Is this a valuable thing to think about? Faculty mentors wrote this question all over my culminating thesis drafts and these days I scribble it on feedback for my students’ work regularly. Even as graduate students and new professionals at the bright beginnings of long careers in education, we should take the time right now to probe these questions and think about the “big picture.” Why are student advisors important? Why should we care that institutions place value on our roles? In an era when all types of organizations are making the sprint towards faceless digital processes, where do professionals like us fall? Some think that the every day transactional aspects of our jobs as academic advisors (overrides for course restrictions, degree clearance, etc.) are the only things we do. Proponents of the “cutting the fat” (aka ‘There are too many administrators!’) strategy of revamping higher education think that one day we could all be replaced by cheaper, more efficient “robots” (software) that can give students exactly what they want and the answers they need when they want it. And if that’s really how people feel, those with power and influence anyway, that could spell big trouble for our jobs in the future.

But that’s the problem, isn’t it? The road to helping students develop into ambitious, well-adjusted, and resilient individuals is not about handing over easy answers. Although their words and actions sometimes don’t provide great evidence to the fact, our students are adults that need to learn how to trail blaze. With that said, tossing 18-year olds into the proverbial deep-end isn’t necessarily the best idea either. For many, college is the first opportunity they have ever had to explore new terrain without the every day guidance of guardians or the comfort of familiar communities. To be clear, I’m not advocating for a full-scale return of in loco parentis by any means, but there has to be a balance—a sweet spot—somewhere between being Mother Duck and feeling like you staff a customer service desk. That is where a well-trained, patient, compassionate educator comes in: armed with common sense and a handy network of campus resources, as well as confidence in their ability to use their own education. An advisor has critical influence. The most successful seniors will tell you that a great someone was in their corner, asking the right questions, proofreading applications to graduate school, conducting mock interviews, introducing them to this amazing dean or that brilliant professor, and always having a box of tissues ready for the really rough patches. 

“The higher education landscape is changing” is a very buzz-wordy thing to say these days—maybe the more compelling reminders are that budgets are getting cut, people are being laid off, and accreditation bodies (scary) and parents (scarier) are in a constant hovering state. So how do we approach the future of our field, all things considered? At minimum, be comfortable talking about these issues early in your career, be proud of your training, continue to develop it, and advocate for your profession as a critical part of a student’s ability to thrive. With many answers still blurry, one thing at the very least seems crystal clear: if we see ourselves (and allow our directors and deans and provosts to see us) as simply walking and talking degree auditing software, we won’t be here for much longer.  That scares the heck out of me because I have a fantastic job working with some of the smartest and most daring young people I have ever met. Not to mention, I also really dig my new business cards. 

Sincerely,

Also Still a Newb

---

Ana Castillo-Nye is the Program Manager for the Pennoni Center For Interdisciplinary Inquiry at Drexel University and advises in the college's individualized major program. After completing her B.A. with a concentration in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Rutgers University in 2011, she continued with graduate studies at the School of Education where she received her Ed.M in College Student Affairs/Higher Education Administration in 2014. She believes in cultivating student personal and professional growth with the goal of facilitating leadership development that approaches problem solving in the systemic mindset. She tries to challenge students to learn how to move between“small lens” and “big lens” thinking. Within and outside of academia she is interested in issues regarding educational access, specifically related to immigration advocacy/reform as well as educational and leadership opportunities for women globally.

How to Embrace Social Media as a Tool to Connect with your Students

* This post was originally featured on The Student Affairs Hub.

Social media has become pretty ubiquitous in our lives now. News is made from it and spread through it. We reference it offhand in our conversations with each other,  and we've developed new terms to describe it.

While it may be still a bit foreign to some professionals at higher education institutions, it is commonplace for our students. When given the proper attention, social media can be an effective asset in our outreach to students. It also helps to build a feeling of community on campus.

Whether you're an entry level academic advisor, hall director, or the president of an institution, you can be a powerful presence for students on social media. Your social media presence will help them feel heard, valued, and cared for.

I personally have taken a few different stances that I hope help me connect better with my students. I make my Twitter publicly available, (it's even on my business cards). I accept requests from students on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram. I don't seek them out, but if they connect with me first, I make sure to accept their invitation.

Connecting with my students in this way helps me to celebrate their successes, build their network, and be more accessible to them should they need me. I've never had any issues with making myself more available rather than guarding myself behind virtual walls. No student has ever abused this. However, even if there was an instance where someone used my good will inappropriately, I'd still make myself available to all my other students who need me. I wouldn't want to let them down based on a single student who needs some educational conversations about their behavior.

Another stance I take that many professionals hopefully take as well, is that I don't have a "personal" account and a "professional" account. I just have my one Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. I really don't believe anyone should have separate accounts for stuff like that unless someone has a brand they're trying to build that they want to be separate from themselves.

I don't have strict standards about what people should or shouldn't do on their social media channels. Students just need to be comfortable with employers, friends, and family seeing whatever they post.

While someone can try to ignore social media, it is an omnipresent, constant, global influence in our lives. It is something that I view as an asset and resource. I embrace and love social media for the connections and learning that can happen through it.

By maximizing the potential of social media for sharing your story, (or your institution's), you will see success in your personal and professional efforts.

Digging Deeper into Nerd Masculinity

For a long time I have considered myself a nerd; an avid reader and true academic from an early age. I embraced the term “nerd” more and more during the multiple summers I spent at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth summer programs, where I learned that it was cool to love learning, comic book characters, abstract television shows, and the unique brains of those around me. In my adult years, I have retained many of those endearing qualities that made me such an oddball little kid. This is an important piece of my origin story, because I believe this love of knowledge and asking hard questions led me to Women’s and Gender Studies, and then Higher Education, academic disciplines where I get to constantly question ideological structures and challenge people’s preconceived notions of identity and being. I had the opportunity to take a course in my Masters program titled “Men and Masculinities”, in which I explored the multiple masculinities that exist within our society. Since the course didn’t reference “nerd masculinity” within its material, I chose to write my final research paper on the topic, and uncovered some insightful information. So all of this (and my relationship with the one and only Higher Ed Geek, who eagerly pushed me to write about this topic) is what has brought me to this blog post.   

I’ll preface this by saying that I recognize there is a difference between nerds and geeks, however there are enough similarities between the stereotypes of the two that for the purposes of this blog I will be referring to “nerds” and a generalized “nerd masculinity” for some simplification.

I started with analyzing some research of school-aged children, since those formative years shape who we become as adults (I suggest checking out NERDS; American Nerd; and The Geeks Shall Inherit The Earth if you are interested in children’s perceptions of nerd identity). Stereotypically, “nerds” in elementary and high school are social outcasts, these tend to be the students who have a high intellect, a touch of social awkwardness, and those who find comfort in rational thought. What struck me was that high intellect and rational thought are coveted traits in hegemonic masculinity (the traditional norms and standards society has constructed and expects men to act within); however, nerds are assumed to lack desirable physical traits or social or athletic skills which enable them to fit in with hegemonic standards. These traits may carry on into adulthood, and can become defining characteristics of men’s personalities.

Nerd masculinity is confusing; you might be thinking, “If nerds don’t fit into hegemonic standards of masculinity, how could things like Gamergate or hypersexualized comic book characters happen?” What I’ve learned is that specifically because nerds are ostracized by society (women and other men), they have to perform in a hypermasculine way to attempt to be accepted. This of course, is a generalization, but many nerdy men often feel marginalized within our society’s hierarchical structure, and thus feel the need to marginalize others in order to gain back some sense of power. Every social group (think: religion, ethnicity, national status, sexual orientation) has a hierarchal system in which someone gets oppressed.

Dr. NerdLove has a great article about these toxic notions of masculinity that enable this system of domination and oppression to work in our society. He defines it as a specific narrative about the ways men should act: “emotionally repressed, thuggishly violent, sexually aggressive”. Because toxic masculinity has seeped into every crevice of society, including popular culture and the media, even men who aren’t seen as highly masculine still subconsciously engage in hypermasculine behavior. This is cyclical—nerds are inherently oppressed within the hierarchy of hegemonic masculinity, so they seek out alternative spaces and create their own hierarchy by attempting to emulate behavior that will hopefully gain them more privilege within the hegemonic power structure.

As in all other masculinities, nerd masculinity cannot be understood as a simple blanket identity. There are definitely subtle variations of nerd masculinity that either embrace, or push away from, specific practices of hegemonic masculinity. While nerd culture is not the perfect alternative to hegemonic masculinity, it is certainly becoming absorbed and more accepted by popular culture (read: Marvel and DC movies are dominating the box office, board game sales are steadily increasing, and did anyone see how much Star Wars advertising there was?). Nerd culture is revolutionizing this technological age we live in, and the once ridiculed interests and hobbies of nerds and geeks are becoming popular and in high demand.

While there are still some downsides to nerd culture, including the sexual objectification of women (like women being groped and photographed without their consent at Comic Con, and the few women who are even represented in comics often have ridiculous body shapes and are in in ridiculous poses), as more men begin speaking out against this behavior, and as more women continue joining the nerd ranks, this behavior can and will readily change. Nerd culture has the potential to be a diverse and inclusive environment; just think of all the different characters, superpowers, magical lands, and origin stories that exist across its many different genres. Nerd culture also creates a space for imagination, fun, and creativity, which people of all ages deserve to have access to. Those who embrace nerd masculinity has the ability to subvert hegemonic masculinity and fight the good fight, they just first have to become conscious about what they are standing against.   

---

Jennifer Osolinski is a New Jersey native completing her last semester in the University of Maine’s Student Development in Higher Education Masters program. Jenn’s passions are academic advising, feminism, and social justice. She spends her free time looking at puppies on the internet, trying new recipes, and watching a myriad of TV shows and movies. You can follow her on Twitter: @Jenn_Oso

Valuing (and Maximizing) Our Time Away

* This post was originally featured on The OOHLALA Blog.

As the holiday season approaches, many of us will be taking some well-deserved time off from work, classes, and so forth. Unfortunately, this may be some of the only time we take off during the year. Which is why it’s important to use this time to its full advantage. I’ve found that adopting certain personal habits can help me to make the most of my time off.

Spread time throughout the year

Some people only take time off when it is given to them through holidays or forced upon them by others. I personally have taken the stance of giving myself long weekends and “mental health days,” throughout the year.

It helps to sprinkle time off throughout the year in order to minimize the impact of daily stress on your physical and mental well being.I always enjoy my random days off during the week even if they just help me get errands done. Giving myself this periodic time off allows me to better focus on the work I need to do during my regular hours.

When you’re away, be fully present

Unplugging fully from our work lives while we’re away is important, since any part of us that still lingers back at the office is a part that can’t fully enjoy the experience of being away. This means turning off notifications, putting our phones on “do not disturb”, and not checking our email.

I know I’m not perfect with this, but I’m trying to be better, especially whenever I leave for an extended period of time. Trust your colleagues to be able to take care of things in your absence. Also, the more work you can get done ahead of time will help you be mindful of where you are in the moment. Asking for help is also important. In return, you can help others out when they need the same from you later on.

Share the time with others

Another thing I value about having time off  is sharing this time away with others. You can maximize the emotional benefit of getting out of your routine by taking a trip with a family member, partner, or good friend and deepening those connections. It can be something you share and remember for a long time to come. It will be as fulfilling, if not more so, than if you just went on your own.

I always appreciate the opportunity to see friends that have moved across the country. It’s great to be able to share time with them after not having seen them for awhile and it’s also an opportunity to see new places which helps to broaden my horizons.

Another point here is to take pictures of your trips and time away to document the experience so you can share it with others. In the past few years I have become more sentimental about major life experiences. Having some artifacts and photos from my adventures has allowed me to share those experiences with others.You don’t need to share photos on social media at the exact time you take them, (see the previous point of unplugging), but sharing memories with friends and family allows us to reap the benefits of our journeys time and time again.

There are many benefits to taking time away from our normal routines. We can keep in touch with old friends, make new connections, experience amazing new places, and most important of all, we allow ourselves to grow and relax. This can help us to do our best work for our students and role model positive behavior for them. I hope you can take some time off soon—even if it is only a long weekend—to be present somewhere outside of your routine.

Here’s to nourishing, renewing, and growing ourselves all year long!

Geeky Office Décor Series: Mauricio Gómez Montoya

This week we're featuring the awesome office of Mauricio Gómez Montoya, Retention Specialist with the Office of Multicultural Affairs at the University of Kansas.

Here's what Mauricio had to say about his space:

"I love my job. It’s challenging, rewarding and ultimately really fun. However, if I’m going to spend over 40 hours per week at work, I’m gonna make this place look and feel like home. I’m a huge Marvel & Star Wars fan, I also love sports and cultural artifacts. I’ve tried to blend these interests into the look of my office. Initially, I did this because of what I thought these items said about me. It made me feel “cool” and express my interests. I’ve noticed that the decoration of my office has inspired my students to trust me more if I put myself out there. I they feel like they really know me.

Over the last year, I’ve asked students if I should “rebrand”. I’m progressing in my career and it has made me questioning if there is room for a Tie Fighter or a Spider-Man poster in the office of a Senior Student Affairs Administrator. After many conversations with my students, I realize that there is. My students (and some colleagues) made me promise to not get rid of my “nerdy stuff” when I advance. They gave me a different perspective on the issue. It’s not what my office says about me, it’s about how students feel when they’re in it. One of my students said: "I feel intimidated when all I see are degrees and encyclopedias in my faculty’s office. But Spider-Man? I can talk about Spider-Man.”

Good practices in Student Affairs rely on relationships across campus. Relationships are based in trust. If your students (and colleagues) know you, they will trust you and if they trust you, they’ll listen to you. I’ve bonded on several occasions with students because of the conversation starters in my office. Whether it is the giant Spidey poster on the wall, the Gumball dispensing Yoda on my desk or the Jimi Hendrix portrait, students feel like they can relate and ultimately, feel more comfortable.

These conversations have lead me to think it’s time to redefine the idea of professionalism in student affairs."

What I really like about Mauricio's office is that it features Spider-Man (a personal favorite of mine), as well as the other diverse interests that he showcases in his space. I also appreciate how Mauricio shared the doubt he experienced as he thought about moving up professionally. I think we can all be our genuine selves no matter what we want to do professionally. Especially in our field, we should be encouraging professionals to be themselves so that we showcase a positive example for our students. I know it was transformative for me to accept that I can be myself and also be an effective leader and professional. It's awesomely poignant that Mauricio's students helped him realize that he should keep his geeky decorations up in his office.

Many thanks to Mauricio for sharing his space with us.

Stay tuned for more awesome offices in the coming weeks!

Thanks for stopping by!

Finding Yourself & Geek Identity Theory

During my first semester of graduate school, I took a course on theory development within college students.  I learned about theories grounded in career development, religious development, and personal identity development.  Within personal identity development I noticed a commonality between all the theories.  I was taught to use theory as a base knowledge to understand a student better, being able to assess where each person was on the developmental level.  As a self-named geek, I was determined to find other applicable identities for students to develop.  Here is the "Wagner Geek Identity Development Model" (WGIDM) as seen through my own development.

Stage 1: Non-geek

During this stage, students do not consider themselves to be geeky.  This was reflected during my first year of college.  My interests were of movies and not much else.  I did not have an overt affection towards video games, superheroes, or anything deemed “geeky” by society.

Stage 2: Open to Geek Culture

During this stage, students are opened up to the geek culture.  In my second year of college, a fellow resident assistant took me to a comic book store and opened my mind to my favorite superhero, Green Lantern.  This moment sparked an internal revolution into geekdom, leading into stage 3.

Stage 3: NooB

This stage is when geeks begin to make meaning of their identity.  This can be seen through a new variety of one’s Netflix qeue, frequent trips to comic book stores or GameStop, and enhanced research on the geek culture.  It is during this stage that individuals seek out groups of fellow geeks to validate their feelings and share in experiences.

Stage 4: Leroy Jenkins

During stage 4, individuals dive into the culture in an attempt to figure out what type of geek that person wants to be.  For me, that resulted in watching YouTube videos about video games, downloading podcasts about Star Trek, and buying midnight premiere movie tickets.

Stage 5: Geek Chic

This stage revolves around individuals refining the type of geek they want to be.  Folks have searched every outlet in an attempt to whittle down what geek really means to them.  I finally decided that I did not know enough of World of Warcraft to try and become a level 70 goblin, however I knew I enjoyed superheroes and video games, so I stuck to where my true passions were.

Stage 6: Live Long and Prosper

This final stage can only be accomplished when a person fully admits to their geekdom.  This stage occurs when one has accepted that they are a geek and has begun to integrate their geeky tendencies into their personal life.  I was finally able to walk into the comic book store without feeling like an outsider, using superhero inspirations for door decorations for my residents.

Obviously with this theory comes one major critique: what does it mean to be a geek?  This notion is relative for each individual person.  To someone, a geek can only refer to science fiction novels, however to others being a geek can mean they are excited about woodworking.  The term geek is open to interpretation.  My own definition is that a geek is a person that understands a topic incredibly well and has become a true passion.  No matter what the definition, this theory can serve as an opportunity for folks to assist their students in the development of their identities.

Remember, with great power comes great responsibility, so use it wisely.

Hey y'all!  My name is Julie Wagner and I am a current graduate student in my second year of the College Student Personnel program at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.  Currently I am working in Campus Activities and get to work with fantastic students and their organizations.  I began my obsessions with higher education and geek culture in the fall of 2012 and have not stopped since.  My bookshelves are equal parts graphic novels and development theory books. Connect with me on Twitter!

Geeky Office Décor Series: Tyler Miller

This week we're featuring the awesome office of Tyler Miller, Assistant Director for Housing & Residential Services at University of California, Santa Barbara.

Here's what Tyler had to say about his space:

"As you can see my office isn’t the typical “professional” looking office. I have a ton of stuff. The reason for this is during my day. Most of the people who come into my office are students and/or people who work with students. My office is meant to be a “conversation starter.” Generally someone comes in and finds something they can right away connect with me about without me digging and asking a lot of questions. Whether it’s my Dunder Mifflin shirt, my Batman, Star Wars, Doctor Who stuff, or my sports memorabilia, there is generally something for everyone. You can’t see it in my pictures, but I even have a working 8 track player with 8 track tapes. There are also tons of pictures of my previous staffs. Again, you can’t see it, but one of my former staff members was such a Doctor Who fan, as part of a secret Santa gift exchange she designed a painting where she wrote my families name in Gallifrayen. The people who come into my office and connect with me aren’t always the people who would connect out in the halls. It is a “safe space” for discussing all sorts of pop-culture questions such as “what do you think about Ice-Man coming out?” or “Did you hear what happened with the Bat-woman comic book?” I am able to discuss social justice issues in the safe context of pop-culture and comic books, and it opens a new world for me. Finally – I love sharing the process of critical thinking as we discuss topics such as “who would win – Batman or Superman?” (Batman, obviously) or “is there anyone Batman couldn’t beat?” (No, obviously).

So there ya have it."

What I really like about Tyler's office is the diversity of interests showcased as well as Tyler's emphasis of critically analyzing pop culture like comic books (I always joke that I take my entertainment very seriously). Looking for the deeper meaning in the stories we all share is an amazing way to connect. Those emotional bonds are a powerful positive force for us to feel understood, not just through the story but also through others understanding it (and us) as well.

Many thanks to Tyler for sharing his space with us.

Stay tuned for more awesome offices in the coming weeks!

Thanks for stopping by!

Ways to Engage Your Students in Giving Thanks

*This post was originally featured on The Student Affairs Hub.

As we approach the season of giving, I thought it would be relevant and important to talk about the value of gratitude for ourselves and our students. We often take for granted that the people we care about and owe our success to, know how much we appreciate them. So many things go unspoken and feelings remain unknown because we assume people can read our minds and know how we feel.

Obviously, people can't know what we don't tell them. Students especially, owe a lot of people for getting them to where they are today. It can be a transformative educational experience to help convey the importance of gratitude as well as give opportunities to our students to put this value into action.

Here are some ideas to help implement this concept:

Organize a Scholarship "Gratitude Gala"

I've seen several campuses put on events like this, (I've even partaken myself as a student way back when). Essentially, you just set up an opportunity to have students hand write notes to the specific people who helped fund their scholarships to be able to go to your institution.

You can make it into a fun party atmosphere with refreshments and it's just a simple but powerful gesture for students to know that their scholarship came from another human being and they can share their gratitude with them, (it also will probably help retain the support from your generous donors to get these sort of notes).

You can even take this one step further and have the donors come and meet the students personally to engage on a deeper level. Investing in a program like this is valuable to everyone involved and is a quick way to spread a lot of positive energy to your community.

Send a Long Overdue Thank You Note

I took a Positive Psychology course during my graduate program, (with the super awesome Dr. Colleen Georges), and one of the assignments was to write a message to someone who you want to thank for having a big influence on your life that you've never told. It could be from years ago but it was just important to do it, and tell them about the impact that they've had on you.

A TEDx talk from Drew Dudley really captures this point well. His short but poignant speech in that video is an old favorite of mine that I share with students often.

Reflect on Accomplishments

Something that I did this year was think back on all of the things that I have done in my life. It was a really powerful exercise that really allowed me to feel like even if I was gone tomorrow, I have made a positive impact on the places I've been and the people I've had the pleasure of knowing. It also inspired me to want to think of more things I want to do before I turn 30 in a couple of years.

Looking back though, it really conveyed to me how grateful I should be for the life that I have been privileged to have. I'm typically pretty humble about anything that I do, so I had to allow myself to be a little proud of what I've done. Even so, my life hasn't always been easy, but I am thankful for everything that has happened, (or hasn't happened), to me to get my life to the point it is at now. I wouldn't have had this powerful epiphany unless I put intentional thought and energy into it. It's really valuable to encourage your students to think this way, especially if they're not feeling terribly confident in themselves or what they've accomplished. Acknowledging and being grateful for things that come to you in your life creates a foundation of positive energy for you and your students when you put thought and effort into it.

A quick email, a short hand written note, or a quiet reflection can positively influence your mind, wellness, and point of view. With the holiday season approaching, do yourself and your students the favor of giving the gift of thanks. You and everyone around you will benefit from it.

Thanks for stopping by!