Some Brief Life Updates!

Hey there, everybody!

It's been a little over two months since I got up here to Maine for my new full-time position so I thought since I have a bit of down time after training and opening, I'd share some thoughts and feelings from the experience so far.

My first month here was pretty hard for me personally. I wrote previously about some of the professional struggles I had, and they only compounded some of the feelings of loneliness and adjustment struggles to being in a new, very different area from where I was before. It was a bit of a culture shock not really knowing what to expect going from central New Jersey to central Maine. I've never lived in Maine so the rural aspect to the area was a bit jarring at first. I should have known what I was in for from my visits throughout my life but alas, it nevertheless was a bit of a rocky landing. Thankfully, after the first few weeks of finding my way around and figuring out my own rhythm in this strange land, I began to feel better. The people were welcoming, the cool local places were a lot of fun and I got to see a whole other side to my home state I've never seen before.

So, as month two began, I was in much of a flow than I was before. I had some routine and a supportive community of friends and colleagues beginning to develop. Then training and opening happened. It was rough for me as it always is. It was especially tough since I am new to this institution and put a lot of pressure on myself to know all the answers and be able to do everything for my students but I couldn't. There are many other frustrations I've had over the entire two months but that my be a post for another time.

I look forward to the beginning of a new academic year that is full of learning experiences for me. I'm in a state I've never lived in before, at a small private university (unlike the two, large, public universities I came from before), working with new people in an albeit familiar way but in a totally different context. It is rough at times but I know I'll be a better professional at the end of it all.

I never want to just play it safe any more, I've had plenty of that. I look forward to more adventures this year and beyond as I look to grow and learn as a person and a professional. I'm ready to get out into the world and make a difference for my students this year.

I'll keep blogging periodically as cool things happen and I have something to say, so stay tuned!

Thanks for stopping by!

What I Was Geeking Out About: July 2014

Hello, good people!

Here is what I was geeking about during the magnificent month of July!

• Week of 07/04
• Week of 07/11
• Week of 07/18
• Week of 07/25

Keep up with all of my geek outs every Friday! There will always be something new to discover, fun to follow, and you'll know what's going on with my life all in one spot.

Thanks for stopping by!

Updates from the New Job!

Hey there friends,

I just wrote a post for The Student Affairs Collective about my first few weeks at my new job. Check it out for some formal thoughts and learning that has gone on since I got here.

Thanks for stopping by and have an awesome day!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 07/04/14

Salutations, good people!

Here's what I'm geeking out about this week. (Happy Independence Day!)

• Community Returns!

I've given love for this show many times in the past and this time is one of much joy, being able to say definitively that Community is coming back for season 6 on Yahoo. I was hoping to see it on Hulu since I want their digital network to have a killer show like House of Cards or Orange is the New Black but I'm still happy that it ended up somewhere. I'm mostly looking forward to some closure since just having this would be good to wrap things up (and then a short movie just to complete the prophecy). I'm sure I'll share my thoughts when the show comes back. If you haven't watched the show yet, all of the series is streaming via Hulu Plus. Long live Community!

• Green Lantern

I am continually exploring more of the world of comic books and my latest foray is into some of the recent Green Lantern comics, namely all the stories surrounding the Blackest Night story arc. I really do feel like Green Lantern (any and all of them) is my favorite DC character, right alongside Spider-Man from Marvel. I've only just started getting into some of the comics I've bought recently (Sinestro Corps War, Rage of the Red Lanterns, Agent Orange) but be sure I will be mining them for some relevant moral nuggets to share with you all.

• Maine

So, as of today, I have been back up in my home state of Maine for a week now. I came here for my new job at a school up here and I've just started to get settled in fully. I've started to meet all the people I'll be working with, decorate my new office (which I'm excited to have, since it is my first one), and explore the surrounding area. I'm eager to get into my routine and start working on some projects since I'm still sort of the newbie after my first week who doesn't know how to do anything. I'll definitely be sharing thoughts about things as the process goes along.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the holiday weekend!

Reflections on Turning 25 & Getting My Master's

This past week, I hit some pretty big life milestones; I turned 25 years old and I obtained my Master's degree after two years of hard work. It has been a whirlwind few weeks with the end of the semester and I just got back from a very relaxing vacation away with the lovely lady you see above. As I get back to reality, I find myself wanting to reflect on everything and how I feel at this important point in my life. First, the degree (since that happened first). I've been a student for 19 years straight, that's twelve years of school to get my high school diploma, five years of undergraduate study to get my bachelor's, and two years of study to get my master's. This is the first time in a long time I don't have to register for classes, worry about paying tuition, or having the structure of school controlling my life. While I'm still going into higher education and will have the academic year hovering over my life for the foreseeable future, it won't be as a student (not unless I get my doctorate at some point in the far future). I had a brief moment over the week of closing ceremonies and convocations where I felt a sense of relief. It came from knowing that these degrees I've obtained and mainly my master's, something I never would have thought years ago I would achieve, is mine and can never be taken away from me. That accomplishment, after years of hard work was very satisfying. I'm not a boisterous person and this was my own personal celebration that happened in my head as I sat down after walking across the stage at graduation this past week.

A few days after graduation, I turned 25. I had been joking for months that this is perfectly timed to have a big quarter life crisis, with such big life moments happening all at once. Thankfully I feel affirmed in my path and excited for the future, so this is not the case. I tend to be more mature than some of the others my age so this birthday was actually welcomed, as I feel like my actual age is catching up with my beliefs, habits, and perspectives. I'm excited to be older and continuing to learn from life's experiences. I feel like I've learned a lot and grown so much within just the past few years being on-campus at both Delaware and Rutgers, so I can't wait for what is to come.

My life is still taking shape as I look for a job and the next chapter of my life. I know that I don't know everything about anything. There is plenty still that I want to do in this world, and I look forward to the horizon optimistically at what the next 25 years have in store.

EDIT: Check out the story of my job search to read about the recent, epic conclusion!

Thanks for stopping by, and have an amazing day!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 05/23/14

Hey everyone! Here is my week in geek!

• X-Men: Days of Future Past

I'm getting more excited for this movie as the buzz becomes overwhelmingly positive. It is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes (click above) with impressive marks from critics and audiences alike. I was worried it was going to be too busy and fall under its own weight (like Amazing Spider-Man 2 started to do), but this movie seems to get the complex story right. I'll be seeing it this weekend so I look forward to sharing more detailed thoughts later.

• Graduation

I just have to share briefly this milestone (which I'll delve into deeper with a separate post) that I recently graduated with my Master's of Education in College Student Affairs from Rutgers University. It was the final ceremony for a week full of good vibes with convocations and commencements for myself and my partner. It is always really great seeing excited graduates and proud families at all of these events. Never fails to put a smile on my face! Cheers to all the other graduates out there this year!

• Delaware

So I was originally born in Maine but I consider myself more from Delaware, since I grew up there for 20+ years. I went to school there (college included), made a lot of memories there, and always like to go back when I can to either visit my brother or swing by the University of Delaware. My partner and I had the great idea to take a long weekend down here for my birthday and our graduations, so I am currently enjoying some sun by the beach in Delaware. I got to see my Mom (who is visiting from Maine) and my brother, which is a rare treat and I am very happy! I encourage you all to check out the "First State" and let me know if you need some recommendations. It is a small but mighty state that I know you'd have a good time at if you're looking for a quiet, relaxing time away.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend!

Geek Hard: Reflecting Back On a Year of Blogging

I started this blog back in April of last year, not really knowing where it would go but I was inspired by a role model of mine, Chris Hardwick, to put myself out there as my unique self that is a mashup of higher education/ college student affairs and a proud, passionate geek. I feel like it is a brand I can be proud of so I dove right in with it. Being someone is very reflective and pensive, I felt it was only proper to share my thoughts on how it has been going over the past year. I can say now, after a rocky first few months of blogging, I'm starting to find my rhythm now and a workflow that works for me. I struggled to write at first but it is starting to come more naturally now. I have also gotten some positive feedback from friends and colleagues on my efforts, which has definitely helped my motivation to keep with it. Within the past few months in 2014, I've started finding a consistency with my weekly geek outs and movie reviews, which have been awesome to do and steadily maintain for a couple of months now.

I feel as though with my putting more content out there, I've been reaching more people and getting more of an audience. I am doing this all for myself but also to get the word out to people who may feel like I do about geek pride on a micro level, and just on a macro level for a community in my profession that isn't afraid to be themselves. I feel like a black sheep a lot of the time in student affairs and I want to challenge the notions of who you have to or should be in our line of work. We all are always encouraged to "be yourself" but I feel like at times that this platitude isn't the case. If you are yourself, others blow back on that and make you feel guilty for it. I don't like that and think that's a pretty horrible thing to do. I hope to keep putting my authentic self out into the world and have people just get it.

So, a year is in the books, which is crazy to think about but I'm looking forward to many more to come. As I wrap up here, I just want to genuinely thank you for your support in getting me this far already. Even if this is your first time at my blog for this post or if you've read every single one, thank you for taking time out to check out my work. It means a lot to have every single one of you stop by.

Stay plugged in for more awesome stuff.

Have an amazing day!

2014: Looking Ahead At The Year To Come

I just posted about the year that was, and on the eve of a new year, I thought I'd look forward to what is to come. I'm heading into my last semester of school for the foreseeable future, which is a new feeling. For the past few years I've always been under the pressure of figuring out how to pay for my next semester or putting in applications for programs. Now I'm replacing all of that with job applications and the start of the rest of my life. It's scary but I feel more ready now than I ever have.

I have two new adventures ahead with the job search. I'll be heading out to Indianapolis for the annual ACPA convention as well as down to Baltimore for the annual NASPA (another broad student affairs organization) convention. I've been to Baltimore briefly when I was much younger and I've never been to Indy so I look forward to visiting both of these places for a bit.

As I noted in my previous post, I've recently begun seeing my awesome new partner, Jenn. We have a habit we like to do every once in a while when either of us is having a bad day to pick out one positive thing, one best moment, or one 'win' from the day to make ourselves feel a little better. We have done it sporadically before now but with the start of the new year (as well as my love of 30 Day Challenges), we've committed to telling each other one positive thing each day for the next 30 days. I'm excited for this since there are always those days where there just doesn't seem to be anything going your way. It'll be a fun challenge to try to find anything awesome from the day regardless.

I look forward to graduating with a master's degree, something I never would have thought possible years ago, I look forward to more memories with my friends, I look forward to proudly turning 25, and I look forward to all the things to come that I can't even fathom yet.

Cheers to the new year! Let's make it a good one, folks!

Looking Back on a Year Filled with Adventure

I felt the need to reflect back on my year, personally and professionally, as I settle into the comforts of winter break. I've been able to sleep in, see family, work through my Netflix queue, spend time with my wonderful partner, and generally not have to do anything I don't choose. This has been a relaxing, calming experience since the residence halls closed. I've been able to center myself again after the sort of manic-ness that is the end of the semester. Looking back, this past year had a few ups and downs but I feel as though it was a year where I challenged myself in a few new ways, and grew because of it. I'm thankful, with the clarity of hindsight, to see that it all happened for a reason to make me a better, more confident person.

To work chronologically, I honestly started the year in a bad place. I had a rough time getting through the holidays, having spent them pretty much alone. In response, I just kept to myself in my apartment and didn't really get up to much. I actually looked forward to the semester started since it would give me a purpose and something to do with my time. As the semester went forward, I was volunteering some of my time in various offices and was honing in my focus on the type of work and skills I wanted to cultivate. I was doing some things I didn't find that rewarding and others that I had a blast being a part of, namely doing marketing work for the Division of Student Affairs here at Rutgers. I worked with great people doing cool new things I'd never tried before. Flexing these new muscles, I was able to gain confidence that I could be a quick learner and contribute meaningful things to a new team.

A huge new adventure for me this past year was flying out to Las Vegas for the annual convention for ACPA (a national college student affairs organization for those who don't know). At this time, I hadn't flown for years, much less gone across the country. I'd always just stuck to the East Coast so going to a whole new place, also never having gone to a big convention before, made the experience an amazing one once I came back and crashed on my bed in New Jersey after a whirlwind week. While I wasn't much of a fan of the city of Las Vegas, I had a very rewarding time challenging myself to go far out of my comfort zone; learning new things and meeting new people.

Next, after feeling great finishing my first year of graduate school and getting through a year supervising a residence hall community, I quickly transitioned right into my summer working with New Student Orientation here at Rutgers. The journey to get here, however, was not what I thought it would be. I applied for various NODA (the national college orientation organization) internships around the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions of the country. I interviewed for several of them and got rejected for all of them. I simultaneously applied for opportunities here at Rutgers as a backup plan, hoping to continue my spirit of adventure at another institution for the summer. Nevertheless, I ended up here, at the very least doing the sort of work I wanted to do, so I was happy enough. Little did I know I was getting myself into one of the best summers of my life, personally and professionally.

First off, I was able to deepen connections with fellow members of my cohort who were also in the area for the summer. Second, I garnered a newfound respect for Rutgers and everything it is capable of as a large institution. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I met my new partner, Jenn. I would not have had the pleasure of having her in my life if I hadn't stayed here. I feel different about her, as opposed to others I've dated, and it's been an amazing ride so far these past few months so I look forward to what's next. She's pretty awesome. I can't say that enough. I'll have to introduce you soon.

My last interesting experience I wish to quickly share was going to the Firefly Music Festival that takes place in Delaware (my home state). I went with a friend and it was a wild ride. I have to mention it and share the fun I had since even though it was just a brief part of my year, I never thought I'd do something like that and I am proud to say I did.

So here I am, having completed 3/4 of my master's degree, on the precipice of the job search, and having a wonderful relationship to support and inspire me. I feel very grateful and while everything may not have worked at times like I thought they should, as I tell folks all the time, it all happens for a reason, whether or not we can see it yet or not. Be on the lookout for a post on the year ahead.

Happy New Year everyone!

My Life on the Margins: How I Wrote Myself In

This post is a personal story. It is purely my experience but I think it has some poignant lessons for others, so I’ve been thinking lately about how best to write on it.

I am currently writing as a final project for my graduate program a “learning narrative” that encompasses my entire time inside the classroom and outside for the past two years. Anything I’ve learned is fair game and it is aligned with professional competencies from ACPA and NASPA all in an effort to get us best prepared for our new professional lives. I find this project fascinating and it has forced me to not only reflect but put these feelings and thoughts into words that others can understand.

A main point that granted me a great deal of clarity over the course of this process has been the aspect of why I do a lot of the things I do on a daily basis. My self exploration resulted in my affirmation that I often feel not important, marginalized, and as if I’m not making a difference. Whether it is in my work feeling I’m not heard or taken seriously or my personal life with being the one who’s invitation must have gotten lost, it has certainly caused me a bit of grief over the years. I was never a bad kid, nor was I the gifted one. I was shy when I was younger too but I wasn’t awkward to the point that I couldn’t make friends, I guess I just didn’t know how to. So I think I was just the person who everyone assumed was doing just fine because I kept my head down, did my work, and had my own thing going on. Behind that veneer of stoicism, however, was someone yearning for more.

The optimistic point I want to share on this though is that I’ve utilized this doubt and anxiety into a strength. My desire to be heard, to be important, and to make an impact has inspired me to make this blog, to write, and to create a unified name that I hope to be known for. It’s even made me want to take care of myself better, both mentally and physically, in a way that is a bit more superficial. It’s interesting the way my positive mindset toward these self generated feelings has made me feel the best I’ve ever felt and made me motivated to do things I am proud to be a part of.

My call to action is that I’m sure some of our students or maybe even some of us feel this way. Don’t let these feelings hold you down, make them inspire you to do more and be more, Take charge of your life and be heard, don’t wait around to be. Hopefully these parcels of wisdom will help you or your students do less of what is making them feel frustrated and do more of what makes them feel amazing, awesome, and important.