Journo to SA pro

Residence Director at Endicott. M.Ed. in Student Personnel in Higher Education from UF. Follow for updates as an SA newbie, funny stories, life-changing experiences and unsuccessful attempts at explaining student affairs to my parents.

[journotosapro]

‘Scar story’

A couple years ago for a magazine class, we were told to write a ‘scar story.’ Basically, write a short story on a scar you have - totally up to your interpretation. Here’s my scar story on eating disorders: 

When I was full, I felt sick.

Meals wouldn’t go down. It felt as if every bit of food was permanently lodged in my stomach. Yesterday’s breakfast and the week before’s dinner kept stacking up like a slumped pile of dirty laundry. I felt saliva saliva tracing the tower of breakfast, lunch and dinner with every gulp. Sleep, antacids, water – nothing helped. Nothing happened.

At 13, I gave in. My dad bought pizza for dinner. Even though I brushed, rinsed and gargled the texture of plastic, grainy pepperoni from my mouth, I woke up with the lingering taste of grease. I felt it on my hands, face, lips. I was going to brush my teeth again, but I held onto the bristles. No one was home, and my toothbrush was old, anyway.

I kneeled down, staring at the white tiles with cracked grout. Then I stared at the toilet water. It took almost a year, but I found a rhythm to it.

Heave, heave, retch.

My chest sunk. It was over.

There was something comforting about feeling your upper body thrust onto the porcelain rim. A concave chest accentuates your collarbone. It satiated my appetite more than any 1,200-calorie diet.

I never considered it bulimia. This was just my shortcut. I was always Nicolita, the niece with a pretty face and chubby cheeks; gordita; whale.

I no longer felt sick. I’d rinse the toothbrush and tuck it underneath a stack of t-shirts in the far right corner of my drawer. If I felt the slightest bit full, heave, heave, retch.

At your lowest point, you realize the hold of mental illnesses. It grips onto your perception the way you grab onto the toothbrush bristles. It’s a battle that tries to corrode you, but it’s a battle you fight for your body, your health, your happiness.  

La imperfeccion es bella. Imperfection is beauty. That’s my tattoo. I didn’t exactly follow after-care guidelines, so the black ink slightly scarred my left hip.

Anytime I feel the need to pinch and probe and poke, I run my fingers over the raised letters, spelling out that everything’s okay.

[talks-fox]

This month’s theme is Finding Nemo!

And so I made a board all about sharks, and why we should protect them featuring Bruce and friends.

And on my main board I decided to educate my residents on Gender and Sexuality (my info came from this nifty post/info graphic )

I’m really happy with the way they turned out ^^

[prozach27]

Move in day to the dorms for RA training! So, I decided a month or so ago that I wanted to do a Harry potter theme but hadn’t told anyone… Well, magic is in the air, because when I show up I have a Harry potter door dec and a hogwarts acceptance letter on my desk! I can already tell this year is going to be totally amazing. Pics of my apartment to come tonight once I get it all decorated!

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Reblogging to remind me of amazing door tag ideas

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The next step: To the northeast

“All you need is one ‘yes.’”

“When it rains, it pours.”

“You’ll end up where you need to be.”

These phrases from my supervisors, mentors and friends kept me going through the SA search. And a couple weeks ago, it finally ended.

I’m going to be a Residence Director at Endicott College starting in August! 

As someone who refreshes her email account every 3.5 seconds, it’s hard for me to say this: Be patient. You will end up where you need to be.

Reslife at Endicott is going through a lot changes - perfect for my creativity. RDs have rounds and a culture of high visibility - perfect for my enthusiasm. My fun fact was that I can fit my hands in Pringles cans - showing me that my interviewers have a pretty neat sense of humor and appreciation for authenticity.

I’m thrilled to bring everything I’ve learned as a Gator up north here:

[eggpuffs]

[journotosapro]

Note to SA grads: SAVE MONEY BEFORE GRADUATION! It’s a painful haul until your first full-time employment paycheck. 

Actual updates to come, too!

[kenziera-deactivated20150622]

SO important to watch

How Carmen Carrera’s interview on Katie Couric’s show went down

Carmen discussed her goal to become the first trans Victoria’s Secret model, so the interview had a good start

The interview started to go downhill after Katie Couric starting to only ask questions about  Carmen’s transition and introducing her by saying “she was born a man and that’s why she’s on our show” 

But she managed to handle it pretty well

And then Katie asked this

and said this

yeah, she went there

But Carmen then proceeded to shut Katie down and explain that there are other things to discuss

Actress Laverne Cox joins to discuss her role in her television show Orange is the New Black

And then Katie decides to direct the conversation back to Carmen and her transition 

Laverne Cox decides to step up on the subject

Watch the full interview here

[skrts]

NY teen Harold Ekeh was accepted to all eight Ivy League colleges and five other schools

[phoebekiddd]

My new pacman/end of semester bulletin board. This is my last one forever!! (And the ghosties are adorable!!! 👾) 🎮

[amazinghints]

Thirty fraternities have been shut down by either their university or national headquarters since the beginning of March due to hazing, alcohol-related problems, criminal investigations and other student conduct infractions. Most have been imposed for longer periods, typically two or three...

[journotosapro]

When an almost-pro makes a mistake

Every mid-semester, I send out a Google survey to my RAs just to gauge where we’re at - how their fellow RAs are doing, what I can improve on, is the RA job meeting their expectations?

One response blew my mind: “Why are the men held to a different standard?”

I’m so torn. 

I love that my RAs start these types of conversations. They observe and see an issue, an injustice, a bias. They want to have conversations about these topics. They appreciate when they are brought up by myself or another RA; all it takes is asking “why?”

What makes me mad, though, is the realization: I have clearly held the men and women on my staff to different standards. 

All of my RAs are phenomenal, whether it’s the relationships they create or the advertising that goes up for programs. They are every definition of the word incredible. We talk about microaggressions. I ask my RAs to think about how they approach programming with their residents and with each other to consider SES. Language is a large part of their development to include all identities.

And there I am happily shocked to see a creative bulletin board by a male RA. There is slightly more enthusiasm in my “wow!” when I see a male RA’s decked-out hallway. For the women on my staff, it’s an established expectation. 

It’s hard to realize when you’ve messed up. Although unintentional, I have clearly been unfair to my staff. 

As much as it bothers me, I’m also glad.

It is these conversations that make you think about your biases, values, experiences and privileges. They aren’t just buzzwords; they are actual thoughts that affect your judgment - good or bad, unintentional or intentional.

Social justice education is constant education, which is why we need to start these conversations about “why?” 

That’s all it took for me to realize my unfairness. As educators and SA pros (or, soon-to-be ones), we need to make those hard realizations and move forward. Encourage your students to ask “why?” Encourage them to begin dialogues. Encourage them to be a part of the conversation. 

[nasparegion1]

Latino(a) Knowledge Community (March Updates)

[journotosapro]

"So how does this help me?"

Thankfully, an RA has never asked me that question, but how many supervisors hear it? 

"How does this help me?" "How does this apply to me?"

How does student employment on campus help students in academics? Are they relating cocurriculars with curricula?

Our Division of Student Affairs has a new initiative, Florida Grow, that asks supervisors of student employees to have intentional conversations about academics and student employment.

During a staff meeting, I asked my RAs to think of how the RA job relates to what they want to do in life and academics as well as what they want to experience. 

Their answers were so creative and amazing, I had to share:

+Diversity and cultural awareness: My health sciences RA was working on a paper that asked her to detail experiences with diversity and multiculturalism. She said the RA job has helped her learn about all types of students and residents. It isn't just ethnicity, though. Her genuine curiosity helps her learn about students from different states, with different beliefs, different routines, lifestyles and preferences. She is immersed in an area of people who are different than her, and it is by acknowledging those differences that she is able to fully learn from her peers and teach others. 

+Presenting and branding: You're in a fishbowl. As an RA - and in any sort of reslife role - students constantly see you. The way you act on move-in day can affect how your residents react or respond to you the remainder of the semester. My RA said this helps him focus on how he presents himself to the outside world. By being intentional with residents, he is also intentional during his current internship search. 

-More practical programs: One RA said that we should also integrate practicality into discussions, not just academics. Do you know how to file your taxes? Do you understand loan jargon or how to manage a budget? We do a great job of socially and academically developing students. Not it's time we bridge that gap and help create competent, contributing citizens. 

+Observations: I was curious to see how my biochemistry RA would relate the job to lab work, and her answer ended up being the greatest metaphor for linking reslife to experiments. As an RA, you do a lot of observing. You pick up on nonverbal cues. You detail notes in your rounds log. You do the same as a biochemist. You hypothesize and experiment, observing possible outcomes and reactions. 

What are some other initiatives you've seen or done? 

[journotosapro]

Why we need to talk about body image

My friends’ reactions followed a pattern.

“Wow.” “I had no idea.” “Are you serious?”

They fit the exact theme of this year’s National Eating Disorder Awareness Week: “I didn’t know.”

It’s hard to associate an eating disorder with someone who squeezes into size 16 jeans. I still struggle with that realization years later.

But eating disorders don’t discriminate. They don’t care about gender, sex or culture. It doesn’t matter if you’re buying men’s 30 slacks or looking for a 40. All that matters is one thing: body dissatisfaction.

In a 2010 survey of UF students, one in four women and one in eight men reported that “feeling fat” interefered with their enjoyment of everyday life.

That’s why GatorWell is empowering students with its Celebrate EveryBODY event series next week by advocating for changes in attitudes to promote positive body image and create a culture of body acceptance on campus.

On Monday, buildings like the Dean of Students Office, Turlington and residence halls are covering up mirrors for Mirrorless Monday.

You look great, and even if you don’t, who cares? You’re so much more than fixing yourself up in a reflection that doesn’t show everything you have accomplished.

That same day, students can head to the BeYOUtiful Health and Wellness Fair for massages, giveaways and activities that encourage them to learn and appreciate all their bodies do.

EveryBODY Can Exercise, Tuesday’s event, will feature RecSports instructors helping students get comfortable moving their bodies through exercise like Zumba and Yoga.

Both events are at the Plaza of the Americas from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Eating disorders are heavy topics, and those struggling to discuss their body image carry the burden of being too taboo.

That is why we need to talk about body image.

That is why we need to improve the culture of body image and accept that Gators come in all shapes and sizes.

[journotosapro]

In all kinds of weather, including eight-foot piles of snow

[journotosapro]

This is a list of tips I compiled from professionals and my own personal experience (applying through ACUHOI/completing an ACUHOI internship)! 

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or comments.

[journotosapro]

I was planning a trip to Boston for this week to visit my partner, and it just so happened that All of the Above (AOTA), a drive-in Massachusetts conference, was happening that same weekend.

Cue the best, most freezing, meaningful and educational trip I've had.

Even with eight-foot piles of snow, my partner took me out every night to go explore the city with him, and I got to present at AOTA to a dozen undergrads and grad students on internship searching!

Public speaking is, without a doubt, my No. 1 area of improvement. I spent the whole morning learning about institutional fit during one session and mentally going through my presentation during lunch. 

It wasn't until after my presentation that I realized all you have to do is breathe. 

Breathe before you start a sentence. Realize it's ok to pause. Leave time for attendees to read your slides as you go over your next few thoughts.

I ended the presentation ecstatic. I didn't tremble. I presented, and even better: My evaluations validated that. I now know I need to work on engaging audiences, but it's one step at a time.

For my first conference presentation, and first real Boston/New England winter experience, I'm beyond happy.

[journotosapro]

Have a swing dancing club? Or any fun, cardio-esque club on campus?

Try an "-Insert Activity Here- into Spring" program!

We did Zumba night last semester, and last week, my RAs brought some swing dancing to residents called "Swing into Spring."

Add in some smoothies and your health promotion services office, and you're all set!