One of the aspects which I enjoy as well, are the many routes you can use in order to reach the top. Sometimes rock walls have suggestion strips to go specific routes based on difficulty, or you can blaze your own trail and combine different paths. 

In many ways, I see the wall as a perfect analogy of life as a whole. Each rock signifies a different goal and the top signifies reaching your full potential. There may be times when you have to rethink your route or alter your course, there might be routes you decide not to use, but there are also goals which need to be taken in order to reach the next step in your life. Some of the steps could not be easier and launch you forward towards your dreams, some are near impossible and make you feel so much more successful once you complete this step, and others may seem impossible and scary, but turn out to easy once you take on the courage to pursue them. You might not scale the wall the first time, you may not scale the wall the second, you might not scale the wall at all, but the main thing that matters is that you try. 

I think one of the main ways for you to reach your full potential is to constantly set many smaller goals in order to complete the larger ones. Just like the rock wall, you won't be able to jump from the first rock to the top. To fulfill your potential, it requires a lot of discipline as you feel your way up the wall and take each rock one step at a time. You might lose your grip and fall back to the starting point, but you are done when you decide to be done. Push your limits, reach up and claim the final prize, there will always be new wall ready to be breached in your life. It is your decision to face them. Let's go!

Question time: How do you complete your goals? 

​A few days before the trip, however, I had a bad case of 'pink eye' and was instructed by the doctor to give my contact lens a break and wear my prescription glasses instead. This was to prevent me from reinfecting my eyes every time I wore my contacts. Being in middle school, I very much cared what everyone thought of me and decided to go skiing without wearing my contacts nor my glasses since I did not like the way I looked in my glasses. For anyone who has yet to go skiing in their life, my best recommendation is to not do so with impaired vision! I spent the majority of the trip running into bushes, fellow skiers, and just about everything else. I was just too stubborn to fix the problem in front of me and decided to crash into it instead (repeatedly). 

Why do I bring up this story? The point I am trying to make is too often, we get too consumed by issues in our lives that really aren't issues and we fail to recognize the real problem. Many times we get too swept away in our emotions or our fears to step back and look at the whole puzzle.

Even today, sometimes I worry too often about what others think or I get consumed by other people's issues. I don't take the time to realize what is really important in my life. At the end of the day, the only person you need to worry about is you. It is your responsibility to decide what is important and set your priorities.  Is it more important to make a fashion choice, or be hit in the head with a couple dozen branches?

To be honest, sometimes you need to reassess your decision half way through the project. There is nothing wrong with this! It is okay to admit you made a mistake. Too often, I have students who try to cover up this fact or stubbornly try to ride it out, but at the end of the day, you are just hurting yourself. Swallow your pride, put on those glasses and enjoy life's ride!  

Question time: What is currently consuming your life? Does it deserve the amount of stress that you are giving it? 

To my surprise, they game was actually a lot of fun! With any new app on opening day, you will always have the consequence of having slow running speed, a few bugs and a crash here and there as they figure everything out, but once I got it to work, I actually had a good time! The best way to explain it is a step further from geocaching (which is already a bunch of fun) where you can walk around your neighborhood and try to catch Pokémon as you enter their area. 

​I was actually surprised how connected it was with my surroundings. It is tied in with GPS, so it knows the locations of streets and various landmarks. A bunch of the landmarks earn you special bonuses! The part I liked especially was the fact that it was also a good workout. It is not a guarantee you will find new creatures when you go to the same locations, so it forces you to venture out of your comfort zone and see your surroundings. In addition, you can find eggs which can only be hatched after you walk a certain distance. I feel like this is the future of interactive play. With any electronics, you risk having people get lazy and sit around all day, but by bringing this adventure into the world around us, it supports a healthy lifestyle. One of the main drawbacks I have found so far is that it chews up your battery life fairly quickly, but if you are fully charged, you will be able to venture fairly far. I look forward to exploring this app more and who knows, I might even catch em' all!    

​Question time: What are your thoughts on the new app?

The truth of the matter is that there are many good people in this world and although I am a bit biased, I would argue to say that some of the best people have worked in res life. So here are my:
​
​Top 5 reasons to date someone with a Res Life background:

5. Event Planning

​Part of the job description is knowing your audience and being able to host an event which captures their student's imagination. Who says this trait is only limited to programs? Your significant other will be able to plan a fun and memorable date with knowledge of budgeting, having a back-up if it gets rained out, knowing what all is needed for the event, and you might even learn something along the way!

4. Customer Service

Whether it is the stress of move in day, handling a maintenance request, or having small talk in the cafeteria, your significant other knows how to talk with people. They are specially trained and have practice talking with others who come from different backgrounds and know how to direct a conversation. Your significant other will be able to  charm your parents and friends by using open-ended questions, talking about what they care about, and keeping the mood positive. We know how to make a good first impression!   

3. Keep Calm and Carry On
When the sky is falling and your world is crumbling, your significant other knows how to handle any crisis situation. They have been trained how to remain calm and handle medical emergencies, natural disasters, active shooters, suicide attempts, policy violations, and pretty much anything else which might not fit into our day to day routine. Stress can be easily managed and they know how to keep you safe.  

2. "Pillow Talk" 
Not only will your significant other be able to get to know your friends, but they will also be able to get to know you on a deeper level. Many individuals in Res Life are specially trained to be an "active listener". This includes learning how to be responsive when someone is talking with them, knowing how to ask follow-up questions, and simply being a good listener. They will know how to have your best interest at heart and can help you through those tough days. 

​1. They know how to have fun!
At the end of the day, your significant other has one of the best jobs around! They will probably be the first one on the dance floor to get others involved and can pull out an icebreaker whenever a party starts getting dry. At the core of it all, they can be themselves. They have learned through leadership training that the best person to be is yourself and this can be someone who is goofy, passionate or doesn't care what others think. They know how to bring the best side out of you and you are in for the thrill of a lifetime!

​Question time: What is the best part of dating someone in your field?   

This person can be your best friend, a significant other, a coworker or anyone who goes in sync with you and can match your weirdness. Sometimes it is a hard thing to find, but if you search for that special someone, they can be found. If anything it is good to know that you are not completely alone. When you are with someone who has a similar mindset, it is easy to bounce ideas off one another, go out and do things together or simply make funny faces at the camera with ring pops, the sky is the limit. This post was a bit more "stream of consciousness" style writing and seems to have its own rhythm, but sometimes its good to mix it up from time to time. Congratulations Jeff and Brittany, I couldn't be happier for you.

Question time: Who matches your rhythm in your life?