I've been working Summer Orientation up here at Sonoma State for almost a month now, and in that time I've realized some really important and exciting things. I've been totally immersed in work that I love, have formed new friendships and bonds with the people I work with, and have continued to heal and grow and learn.
So, it's no real surprise that, as it's coming to an end, I've been feeling a little blue. By the end of this one-month work period I will have worked with over 50 students. But what has made the job most enjoyable for me is our staff. I am inspired and energized every day by each of the enthusiasm, love, and compassion each and every one of us has brought to the table. We came together for a common goal, bonded and grew closer to one another, and "built our community."
Each of my groups have brought something different, and each conversation I've had with a student has shown me that helping them is something that I not only was hired to do, but could see myself doing for years in the future. Before this summer I had a lot of difficulty seeing the things that I did well while working with students. I was much better at focusing on what I needed to do better, what went wrong, and never with what I had actually done well.
It's clear to me now that I can very positively affect the lives of students, especially given the opportunity to work with them for extended amounts of time. Even in the short amount of time (two days) I am given to interact and connect with my students I have answered a myriad number of questions, had students open up to me about things they felt they couldn't talk about with other people, and consoled students who were feeling all the various pressures of coming to college for the first time. If I can connect with students on that level only after a day or two days, the ways in which I could positively effect their experience in college when I'm bringing my best self are many.
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