We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone." - Ronald Reagan
| Hello world! For those of you who are new, welcome to the Luminstruct blog! I am currently working on a "365 Word Project" where everyday I will be posting a reflection on a word and today's word is "help". |
Hello beautiful, did you miss me? A month and some odd change has passed since my last post and it just goes to show how unexpected life can be. This month has seen some amazing accomplishments as well as some difficult times. I have successfully made it through RD training, RA training, opening/move in, hiring desk workers, and of course the first batch of roommate conflicts. So overall, things have been very positive! This month has also seen some difficult times as well. I said goodbye to my favorite actor (Robin Williams), I said goodbye to my house which I lived in for over 10 years, and in some ways I have never felt so alone.
It is actually very hard to explain. I am surrounded by people almost all the time but because I'm "out of school" and yet still "at school" many people don't know what to do with that and how to interact with this role. My outfit at the moment is a perfect representation of my role working at a school. I am bare foot and wearing gym shorts, but I'm also wearing my name tag and a polo shirt. Although I'm wearing this just because it is comfortable, it's kind of a weird hybrid between wanting to be accepted by the student body and wanting to be respected by the student body. Moral of the story, people usually don't confront the weirdo in "formal PJs" sitting in the study room. :)
I digress, today the word of the day is "help". There have been a lot of different ways I could have gone with this. This month has seen a lot of helping... helping parents move their kids into their new rooms, helping a student who finds themselves in a hospital bed, or even helping a student who has had a tough day by simply smiling and saying "hello". All of this is gold! With this being said however, the help that I want to focus in on is helping someone see the potential in themselves. I feel like this was the anthem I have been singing for the past 116 posts, but it still is just as true as the first time I mentioned this topic.
One of the initiatives I'm working on currently is to recognize students and staff who go above and beyond the call of duty in order to help our department. This is pretty much just using the skills I've had in the past from NRHH (National Residence Hall Honorary), but I'm trying to change a culture that too many people buy into. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of an organization or a person, take the time to highlight the skills and talents they may be/are capable of! During the month of August, one of my RAs had especially gone above and beyond and was recognized by various RDs when we were writing our "Of the Month" (OTM) nominations. After this individual had won, I came to learn they they would have never considered being an RA if it hadn't been for one of the RDs pulling them aside and telling them that they would make a great leader on campus and should try to become an RA. If it hadn't been for that one individual, this girl would not be the star person we see today.
Of course it is important to emphasize the students and staff who shine day in and day out, but sometimes it can be even more powerful to recognize the people who have the potential to shine. We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone...You might not even know you are helping, sometimes knowing there are people who read a silly "formal PJ" man's blog are all the help needed to bring the passion back into what is written. You never know :) Goodnight all.
Question Time: Who have you helped today?
It is actually very hard to explain. I am surrounded by people almost all the time but because I'm "out of school" and yet still "at school" many people don't know what to do with that and how to interact with this role. My outfit at the moment is a perfect representation of my role working at a school. I am bare foot and wearing gym shorts, but I'm also wearing my name tag and a polo shirt. Although I'm wearing this just because it is comfortable, it's kind of a weird hybrid between wanting to be accepted by the student body and wanting to be respected by the student body. Moral of the story, people usually don't confront the weirdo in "formal PJs" sitting in the study room. :)
I digress, today the word of the day is "help". There have been a lot of different ways I could have gone with this. This month has seen a lot of helping... helping parents move their kids into their new rooms, helping a student who finds themselves in a hospital bed, or even helping a student who has had a tough day by simply smiling and saying "hello". All of this is gold! With this being said however, the help that I want to focus in on is helping someone see the potential in themselves. I feel like this was the anthem I have been singing for the past 116 posts, but it still is just as true as the first time I mentioned this topic.
One of the initiatives I'm working on currently is to recognize students and staff who go above and beyond the call of duty in order to help our department. This is pretty much just using the skills I've had in the past from NRHH (National Residence Hall Honorary), but I'm trying to change a culture that too many people buy into. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of an organization or a person, take the time to highlight the skills and talents they may be/are capable of! During the month of August, one of my RAs had especially gone above and beyond and was recognized by various RDs when we were writing our "Of the Month" (OTM) nominations. After this individual had won, I came to learn they they would have never considered being an RA if it hadn't been for one of the RDs pulling them aside and telling them that they would make a great leader on campus and should try to become an RA. If it hadn't been for that one individual, this girl would not be the star person we see today.
Of course it is important to emphasize the students and staff who shine day in and day out, but sometimes it can be even more powerful to recognize the people who have the potential to shine. We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone...You might not even know you are helping, sometimes knowing there are people who read a silly "formal PJ" man's blog are all the help needed to bring the passion back into what is written. You never know :) Goodnight all.
Question Time: Who have you helped today?
Take Away:
Tomorrow's Topic: "Intuition"
