Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Undergraduate Institution: Creighton University (Omaha, NE)
Internship Site: BGSU, Office of New Student Orientation & First Year Programs
When I accepted my internship offer in April, I was excited, but I was still worried about moving to Ohio to live on my own for two years. To be honest, even as I was driving my little Honda across the country, I still wasn’t sure. Was this the right decision for me? Should I have stayed closer to my family and hometown? These questions filled my mind as I arrived in Bowling Green.
It only took a few days for me to realize that this is exactly where I need to be. While everything was different, I am surprised at how much I like it. I loved my college experience at a small, Catholic institution and BGSU is very different, but refreshing. I like the cute shops downtown and the small-town feel. My cohort is filled with people from states I have never been to: New York, Virginia, Connecticut, and New Jersey amongst others. I am grateful to be surrounded by classmates who have such a diverse array of interests and experiences they bring with them. I am continually impressed by, challenged, and inspired by them. I hope I can teach them a little bit about Nebraska, too!
As far as academics go, I’m truly enjoying my classes so far. I really love my student development theory class. I get “light bulb” moments when I’m reading about something that I’ve experienced in life, but now have a new understanding of it. I’m learning how to see the college experience through various lenses in order to grasp how to help students develop. Prior to coming to BGSU, I wasn’t quite sure what I would gain through classes that I couldn’t get from work experience. Now I am completely sold that these classes are giving me the tools to be a scholar-practitioner in student affairs. The courses have also helped me form a sense of purpose in this field. It has helped me align my passion with purpose: to show genuine concern and support for college students as they transition and develop. I also must say that the professors are wonderful. They are very knowledgeable on the content of the classes, but also know what CSP students are experiencing and are able to support us. I feel that I have much to learn from the faculty and I want to sponge as much wisdom as I can in these two years!
My internship is in the Office of New Student Orientation and First Year Programs and it is off to a great start. I experienced Opening Weekend with the entire staff, including Orientation Leaders. The first evening, I got to stand on the football field as we welcomed 3,600 first-years into the stadium! I have been meeting with departments across campus and getting adjusted to the campus culture. This week, I am interviewing and selecting Orientation Team Leaders, who will lead new students during the summer orientation. I especially enjoy working with these enthusiastic student leaders and I know that I will learn a lot from them. I also have a supervisor who is a CSP alum and cares about my academics, work, and personal progress. She has been a great resource and a huge support for me.
The past two months have been a roller coaster of struggles and achievements. The most difficult part of this experience has been living far away from my hometown, family, friends, undergraduate institution, significant other, and everything familiar. I have never lived anywhere besides Omaha, Nebraska so I knew it would be a big transition anywhere I went. My relationships are so important to me, and it was difficult to come to terms with the fact that by pursuing my career goals I had to give up certain comforts. Most importantly, I had to give up the comfort of support and time with loved ones. The comfort I once found in familiarity, I now find in the newfound independence that I’ve grown to appreciate. A year ago, I would not have been ready for this experience, but I’m glad I was brave enough to make the choice.
I could not be happier with the decision that I made to come to BGSU. Every day, there are moments that confirm for me that this was the right decision. While I still face obstacles, I know that it will only get easier to surpass them with the support of those around me. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the semester brings!
0 comments:
Post a Comment