Wallie and Me Take on College

Having an emotional support animal (ESA) is one of the greatest gifts in my world. I've had my ESA with me at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg from the first day I moved into Lycoming Hall my freshman year. His name is Wallie, whom I named after my favorite country music artist, Morgan Wallen. Wallie is a very soft, fluffy, happy, playful, and spoiled bunny. 

But above all else, he's my furry best friend. 

Having Wallie with me throughout my college years has made my experience so much more memorable, meaningful, and healthy. I couldn't imagine going through college without him.

My days at Bloomsburg are better, brighter, happier, and more fulfilling because of Wallie. He wakes me up early every morning so he can eat his pellets, which is his favorite meal of the day. Then, we eat lunch together. I normally eat a sandwich from Husky Lounge, and he eats a fresh, organic gourmet salad that I prepare for him. 

We spend a lot of time together in between my classes, internship, RA responsibilities, club meetings, and lacrosse practices. He has a very spacious, nice area set up in my room full of his blankets, plush beds, treats, toys, tunnels, his hay and water, and more. He's very happy living in Bloomsburg. 

Wallie is my faithful and loyal companion and has been with me throughout everything I've been through and experienced at college. Together, we embrace what it truly means to be a Husky.

When I was in my senior year of high school, I knew I wanted to bring an ESA with me to school. Ever since I was born, I've been living in a house full of pets. I currently have seven pets at home, including cats, dogs, and fish. I have a very close and tight-knit family, and we're all big animal lovers. 

I knew moving hours away and being on my own would be a tough transition going from what I had had for the past eighteen years to being in a small room by myself. I wanted to bring a part of my home with me to provide me with comfort, love, and emotional support. Wallie is the perfect ESA to have with me away at school. He's super easy going, adaptable, loving, and is just happy to be around me. 

We have an extremely close connection and an unbreakable bond. We've been inseparable since day one. He is very smart for a bunny and is in-tune to my feelings and emotions. When I'm happy, he hops around and jumps in the air and plays with his toys, but when I'm upset, he thumps and makes it known that he understands and is in sync with me.

After I was set on bringing Wallie, it was time for me to contact the university disability services (UDS) office on campus to get the ESA approval process started. Bloomsburg does allow approved ESAs to live with residents on campus, which is really amazing. This was another reason I chose to go to Bloomsburg because I knew I would be able to have Wallie with me. 

There are some schools that don't allow you to have animals on campus, so it's important to figure that option out before committing to college. Some people might not know what an ESA is or that Bloomsburg allows approved ESAs on campus, which is why I want to share my story and spread the word so more people can benefit from having an ESA with them. 

Having Wallie with me at college truly has made my college experience the best. If you're an animal lover or have an ESA you want to share your college experience with, know that it's a possibility.

Erin Heidlauf, who is the assistant director of disability services, has been so genuine, supportive, kind, understanding, and helpful to me even before I got to Bloomsburg. She's helped me so much, probably more than she will ever know, and I so appreciate her kindness and willingness to help me. She has helped me with all of my accommodations and has made my time here at Bloomsburg so much better. I hope that more Huskies start exploring the ESA process and are able to reap the benefits of having a furry companion with them to bring some comfort and support during their college years and beyond.

— Lillie Corino, a senior business administration and communication studies major at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg with an emphasis in management and organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications this fall. She's a native of Bucks County who enjoys spending time with her family, pets, ESA, watching Friends, seeing Morgan Wallen in concert, playing lacrosse, and going shopping with her mom.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

In the shadow of Kearsarge

Go. Go somewhere new. Exciting. Different. Get out of your comfort zone. Go somewhere you’ve never been before. Just … go.

You’ve heard those words before. Whether you’re reading this as a grad student or an undergrad student, or not even a student at all, I’m sure you’ve been told this before. You may have even given this advice to someone—If you have, I say to you: Thank you!

For the first time, this summer, I took that advice with regard to my higher ed career by accepting an internship for Bloomsburg University's College Student Affairs program at a tiny private college in the middle of nowhere New Hampshire, working in institutional research and strategic planning with the president there, areas with which I was geographically and professionally unfamiliar.

As it turned out, this proved to be one of the most powerful professional development experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve taken to calling it my “North Star Experience” because, while I learned a great deal from the people that I met there and the work that I did, my time there confirmed many things about my career path.

It affirmed my desire to work at small, private, liberal arts institutions, especially if they are located in somewhat rural areas with ample outdoor recreation opportunities (more on that later), and also my goal to eventually shift my professional trajectory from purely student affairs to the broader world of higher education administration.

A little bit about the place: Colby-Sawyer is a small (~1,100 students), private college in a very small, idyllic, quintessential New England town in the middle of vacationland New Hampshire, overlooked by the prominent Mt. Kearsarge. The College has captured what they call their “sense of place,” which is their identity as an institution, evident in their commitment to sustainability and respect for nature and to providing a multidisciplinary, experiential education to their students.

What really sold me on the place, however, was the people. From the president and senior leadership team to the students, everyone I met and spoke to was welcoming and possessed an inherent happiness, an excitement about they’re doing, and above all, hope for the institution. This is a place that has fallen on hard financial times in recent years and has responded with confidence, hope, and innovation.

If you have the opportunity to take the advice as stated in the beginning, do it. If you don’t have the opportunity, ask. My experience in New Hampshire happened because I had met the president when she worked in a different role at my undergraduate institution. I reached out to her last winter and asked if she would provide me with an internship opportunity. We all have a professional network, large or small, and it can be uncomfortable to utilize it and ask things of people. My advice: Get over that; ask anyway. As a grad student, you have the time and the ability, so take the opportunity.

Take a risk. Get a little bit uncomfortable. It’s worth it.

— Jonathan Gowin, college student affairs #EducationalLeadership #ProfessionalU

Yes, I belong in this work

My name is Jonathan Gowin and I am currently in my third semester of Bloomsburg University's Educational Leadership, College Student Affairs program. When I think back over these last three semesters, I can say that it has been wild ride!

I got my start in student affairs as an orientation leader at my undergraduate institution, Lycoming College. While there, I struggled a lot to find a major that I loved, so like any typical escapist, I ignored that problem and got involved on campus instead! After one year in Orientation, I really dove into all the co-curricular opportunities that Lycoming could give me. By the time I graduated, I had added residence life, academic and disability support services, student activities, and leadership to my student affairs repertoire. Despite some lingering doubts about my direction, I decided to immediately pursue graduate school at Bloomsburg. Within the first week, my doubts were pushed aside and I thought for the first time, “Yes, I belong in this work.”

That confirmation hasn’t wavered in the last 10 months. In the fall and spring, I held a graduate assistantship in the Center for Leadership and Engagement, where I helped run the Leadership Certification Program for undergraduate students, planned large scale campus events, and co-supervised 12 student staff members. It was really my first opportunity to think like a student affairs emerging professional and be in that kind of role. When I think about the experiences I had with my students, it was straight-up fun.

For this semester, I have taken up a GA working with Dr. Denise Davidson, who is the program coordinator for the summer term. This has given me the opportunity to see the operational, nuts-and-bolts side of running a graduate program and for someone like me, whose passion transcends student affairs and encompasses higher education broadly, this has been very exciting. In the fall, I will continue to explore new areas of student development when I move to University Tutorial Services, where I’ll be coordinating the Supplemental Learning Program.

For me, the CSA program has been so much more than just the sum of my GA and class work. My favorite part about this program is the wealth of the co-curricular opportunities that are available (spoken like a true student affairs person, am I right?). In March, I, and several colleagues attended the international convention of a leading professional association, College Student Educators-International.

I’m currently a member of two research teams; one with Dr. Mark Bauman studying college presidents and the other with Dr. Mindy Andino and two fellow CSA colleagues, studying Generation Alpha. Just last week, I presented my preliminary findings for the former at the Pennsylvania Student Affairs Conference at East Stroudsburg University. Last, and perhaps most excitingly, a colleague and I, with collaboration from faculty here and at other PASSHE institutions, are starting the Student Affairs Graduate Almanac (SAGA), a “by students, for students” academic journal. I’ll share more details about these projects in future blogs!

If I’ve learned anything from these semesters at Bloom, it’s that the sky is the limit. This is an environment of inspiring people that will encourage you to take your ideas and run with them and challenge and support you (@Sanford) in the process. Bring your wild ideas and enthusiasm to us, it has a home here!

— Jonathan Gowin, college student affairs #EducationalLeadership #ProfessionalU

A large learning experience full of transition

Hello! My name is Alex Reynolds, and I am a second-year student in Bloomsburg University's Educational Leadership, College Student Affairs program. Before coming to Bloomsburg, I graduated from Salisbury University in Maryland with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree in New Media. Since starting at BU, I have engaged in a high capacity in my graduate assistantship as a Graduate Hall Director and as the Treasurer for Chi Sigma Alpha, the College Student Affairs honor society and student organization.

For the summer, I am working as a Summer Graduate Hall Director (GHD) in Elwell Hall East. With my transition from Montgomery Place Apartments complex last year to a more traditional residence hall, there have been a lot of learning experiences. Living with the students in the same general location, my office being one floor below my apartment, and the ease of accessibility to the departmental office that I communicate with daily has been convenient. The proximity of my office has also promoted reflection about the challenges of and learning involved in keeping a work-life balance.

My chief responsibilities as a GHD involve engaging the residents of Elwell with their Summer Session 1 classes. Planning events, keeping students aware of maintenance of the building, and checking in on students overall have been my tasks so far. Alongside of this, I am preparing to integrate residents within the Summer Preparatory Program into the climate of living on-campus for the coming weeks and within the academic year if they continue to matriculate here at Bloomsburg.

Getting to know my student staff has been nothing less than immersive. I have enjoyed developing relationships with the Community Assistant staff that I supervise. In addition to the standard GHD responsibilities, the department has added a new professional position assigned to the new residence hall that will open in August. There have been interviews with candidates for that role and it has been nothing less than exciting.

I also work with Joanne Powser, a CSA student and Summer Graduate Hall Director for Elwell Hall West. Working with her and going through similar transitions, from working with upperclass student populations to preparing for both the Summer Preparatory Program students and for the 2017-2018 academic year, has been stimulating. Working with each other and going through graduate school together has been beneficial for me by having support from a coworker and a future colleague in the student affairs field.

This summer is one large learning experience full of transition. Overall, seeing the large amount of learning and engagement with all aspects involved in my summer work so far has me hopeful for the future learning experiences that are to come.

— Alex Reynolds, college student affairs #EducationalLeadership #ProfessionalU

Prepping for a Career in College Student Affairs

Hello everyone! In this blog, I’ll update you on where I am now… busy. Ha! But first, a quick overview of Lycoming College Prep, or LycoPrep.

LycomingPrep is a two-week learning opportunity for low-income, first-generation rising high school senior students. They attend Lycoming College to learn what a liberal arts college is like. During these two weeks, they live on campus with roommates, attend two non-credit courses Monday through Friday (Chemistry and Political Science), attend workshops led by faculty and staff, and participate in fun field trips to local hot spots. My role is to serve as a residential supervisor. I lead the three student leaders, Lycoming College Peer Facilitators (LCPF)who serve as mentors to the 20 LycoPrep students. I also drive the vans between campus and our field trip locations.

Last Wednesday, I moved onto the Lycoming College campus. I have not lived on a college campus in four years so I was nervous to live with students full-time. For the first three days, I participated in training along with my three LCPFs. Together, we focused on teamwork, personality traits, first-aid training, expectations, while we prepared door decorations (to welcome the students), bulletin boards, snacks, and games for the students to enjoy. The College Student Affairs graduate program at Bloomsburg has aided me with detailed leadership courses that provided me with a clear idea of how I can most effectively lead my team. Last semester, I completed “Introduction of Educational Leadership” which focused a lot on how to manage teams. This semester, I am enrolled in “Organizational Behavior” and spending a lot of time assessing my leadership qualities and weaknesses. BU has given a strong foundation to grow; every day I am practicing my leadership knowledge and skills.

Last Saturday, 20 first-generation high school rising seniors arrived on campus. These 20 students come from seven different states including California, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. This is a very diverse group where they can discuss and learn from each other the different cultures and values each of us have.

 So far, our field trips have consisted of a trip on the Hiawatha Paddleboat along the Susquehanna River, the Little League Museum, the Lycoming County Prison, Williamsport City Hall, Williamsport downtown art galleries, local dining, Rite-Aid shopping trips, and a Walmart shopping trip. Today, we are scheduled to go kayaking! Over the next week we are schedule for a trip to Knoebel’s Amusement Park, digging at Canfield Island, hiking at Rider Park, watching a movie at the nearby drive-in theatre, a Crosscutters AAA baseball game, pool party at the home of the Vice President for Student Affairs, and T & D Cats of the World animal refuge!

This is an intensive experience for the high school students . . . and also for me. I attend all meals with the students, all field trips, participate in late night activities such as watching movies, playing board games, playing cards, etc. and I even attend some of their workshop sessions. I have formed great connections with these 20 students. They are a very curious group! They ask a lot of thoughtful questions at tour sites, workshops sessions, and during class. They focus on their homework and enjoy learning from each other—I am so excited to see how much they are learning about attending college. This two-week experience is a life-changing opportunity.

The College Student Affairs program has also provided me with a solid understanding of how to address change, which has been very beneficial to me this summer because this program has evolved even during our two weeks. As Professor Roesch would say, “Change is inevitable.” As student affairs educators, we must be open to change and embrace it. During just the first week at Lycoming, we have had to switch discussions, cancel trips due to rain, find an alternative, and make it all work out. Those moments can be hectic, but through open communication and creativity, we have continued to provide an organized alternative. I’ve learned that these students are having the time of their lives. They are going to be happy with any decision we make that allows them to form strong relationships and create important memories.

— Felicia Garcia-Wedemeyer, college student affairs #EducationalLeadership #ProfessionalU

New Things, New Place, New Home

I am one week into my first full-time College Student Affairs position and I am starting to realize that this is AWESOME! However, I absolutely did not feel awesome every step of the way.

Day one was filled with nervous smiles and confusion. Parents, students, and professionals asked me questions I did not know the answers to, which really hurt my confidence. Even though everyone was extremely polite when I told them it was my first day, I felt like I was in way over my head and couldn’t swim to the surface. As quiet and reserved as I acted, I did my best to observe my environment, attempting to learn the culture of my new home. This is not the first time I have put myself in the situation of learning a new place, but that does not make it any easier to overcome the uncomfortable feeling of being a newcomer.

Luckily, I had a three-day weekend and great pep talks from my peers to get ready for the next week. Yet, I still had mixed feelings about returning to work on Monday. After a long and non-eventful weekend, I was extremely scared that the week would be just like my first day, filled with confusion, awkward moments, and a lot of silence.

 Certainly, it was. I watched people and listened to conversations feeling as if they were speaking a different language (so many acronyms!). Then, on day four I finally made it to the surface! I met a students I will be working closely with for the rest of the year.

Finally, a conversation with someone speaking my same language, Greek! I was so relieved that I could show someone that I can do this, I know what I am taking about, and I am capable of contributing! Looking at that moment, I realized that the only person I needed to prove anything to was myself.

I have had many conversations about the importance of learning institutional culture through my educational leadership classes. On day five, after I decorated my office and unpacked the books from those classes, I was reminded to reflect on those conversations and readings about culture and institutional fit. I remembered that I have been complimented on my ability to adjust to new environments, to observe new cultures without over-stepping boundaries, and to ask questions when I am not understanding.

That moment of reflection was enough to boost my confidence because right now I’m supposed to be learning and observing. I think I have the highest expectations for myself, so when I started off quiet and reserved it made me more nervous to think that I would not overcome the initial transition. The truth is that if I want to shatter those expectations, then, first, I need to have a firm understanding of the culture I have immersed myself in.

— Jill Franklin, college student affairs #EducationalLeadership #ProfessionalU

Working in a career I love so passionately

A lot has happened over the course of the past two weeks! Lycoming College had three June Orientation sessions (June 6, 13, and 17). Each orientation day was about a 12-hour work day and was very busy!

For years previous, Lyco’s Orientation was a two-day event with information and fun activities for students who all stayed overnight in the residence halls . This year was the first time for a one-day Orientation program. With that, of course there was a lot of preparation work!

Each day leading up to the first of the three sessions, there were multiple meetings with different campus offices, many edits made to paperwork, new handouts being made, and more, all to ensure that the new program was well coordinated and met student and family needs. My supervisor, his assistant, his student worker, and I worked constantly on multiple projects and triple checked our work for any errors.

After each Orientation session, we had a debriefing meeting with the 22 student orientation staff (SOS) members and the professional staff involved in Orientation to hear about what went well and what could be improved upon. There was a one week time period between the first orientation session and the second and I would say that week was the busiest, most hectic, and most stressful. There were a lot of changes to be done in a short amount of time, while also juggling a variety of other projects. But we all got through it!

My supervisor, Andrew Kilpatrick, has been phenomenal at giving me learning opportunities! During the third Orientation session, Andrew allowed me to come up on stage with him to co-present a parent session. The topic was how to coach their students to move from dependent individuals to interdependent college students.

He asked me questions on the spot that I got to answer and explain the resources Lycoming has to offer. When I first heard I was going to be thinking on my feet on stage to an audience of about 150 parents, I was a bit terrified, but it wasn’t bad at all! I actually surprised myself with how confidently I spoke and with such ease. I had many parents address me throughout the day with questions and many told me I was a huge help to them.

In addition to office preparation and Orientation days, I was also working alongside a Residence Life Coordinator. I assisted her with the SOS training, picked up food, and led the SOS in fun team-building activities/games. Getting to know the SOS members has been my favorite part of this internship!

They are truly great students with powerful leadership skills. They always had high energy and welcomed me with open arms. A few times they told me they see me as more than just an intern, but rather a great supervisor and close friend. Hearing those comments from SOS and parents warms my heart as I am just so happy that I am finally working in a career that I love so passionately.

Now that all three Orientation sessions are over, I am happy to finally be able to catch up on sleep! Ha! I will have the next two and a half weeks off until the second part of my internship starts, which is LycoPrep. I will be moving on campus July 6 and living there for three weeks as a supervisor to high school juniors who are engaging with the LycoPrep program.

I am looking forward to new experiences with Lycoming College. So far Lyco staff has been fantastic! I have purchased Lycoming College gear and wear it proudly.

— Felicia Garcia-Wedemeyer, college student affairs #EducationalLeadership #ProfessionalU

And so it begins with orientation

Hi there! As a young girl I always enjoyed writing in my diary so I am super excited to be blogging this summer for an inside view of my internship (field experience) at Lycoming College!

A little bit about Lycoming College (aka “Lycoming” or “Lyco”): Lycoming College is located in my hometown of Williamsport, PA (So I am excited I get to live at home this summer!) Lyco is a private, four-year, liberal arts college with an estimated 1,400 students. The mission “is to provide a distinguished baccalaureate education in the liberal arts and sciences within a coeducational, supportive, residential setting.”

Being a residential campus means that more than 90 percent of students live on campus in one of nine residence halls. You may find out that, at some institutions, it is difficult for students to receive financial aid. One factor that makes Lycoming so phenomenally different, especially as a private institution, is that 100 percent of their students receive scholarships or financial aid! What a great commitment to student attendance!

Lycoming College’s mascot is the Warriors and their school colors are Blue and Yellow. A large proportion of students are involved in athletics (one third of the men and a quarter of the women). As an NCAA Division III institution, these students are considered scholar-athletes. The football team, in particular, brings a lot of school spirit to the campus culture. Football games and other athletic competitions pull attention from the outside community to attend games and support student athletes.

What I will be doing at Lyco

Orientation — For this portion, I will be living at home and commuting to campus for work. There are three different orientation days scheduled during over a three week period.

I will be communicating heavily with residence life staff to schedule student orientation leaders’ duties throughout these days. I will also help plan the orientation breakout sessions where each OL works with a small group of incoming first-year students to provide guidance and support. I will be working six days a week for these three weeks and then have a few weeks off between my next portion of my field experience!

LycoPrep — This second portion will again be about a three-week “all hands on deck” internship. For this portion, I will be living on campus and serving as a resident assistant for the high school students who are participating in LycoPrep. This program invites high school students to live on campus, attend non-credit college-level courses, and engage in field trips to venues in Williamsport and the surrounding area.

I am most excited for my work with LycoPrep, because I get to talk about college life to high school students and promote Lycoming College. I am especially interested in supporting students from under-represented populations in their quest for further education. Plus, I get to participate in all the awesome things they will be doing, like going kayaking and riding rides at Knoebels Grove Amusement Park! I am really looking forward to building relationships with these students and help them adjust to being away from home for three weeks.

So that is pretty much what I will be doing this summer at Lycoming College! I am so pumped! There will be a lot of planning, a lot of high-energy, a lot of people and it’s right up my alley! Can’t wait to see what is in store! I am excited you are following along :)

— Felicia Garcia-Wedemeyer, college student affairs #EducationalLeadership #ProfessionalU

A summer of new people, new skills

My experience with the college student affairs program has involved a lot of change!

I have been so fortunate to be able to work in a department where I love being able to help students learn, grow, and develop. I am Chelsea Titus, a second-year graduate student in the CSA program. I completed my undergraduate degree in exercise science at Salisbury University in Maryland.

What a change coming from the eastern shore of Maryland to the Pennsylvania mountains! I found my way to Bloomsburg through applying for and securing a graduate hall director position.

 Last year, I supervised the Montgomery Place Apartments; this fall I will be moving to “lower campus” (literally, lower in altitude) supervising Schuylkill Hall.

Throughout the summer I will be working within the housing operations side of Bloomsburg’s residence life program, managing summer camps, conferences, and events. My main responsibility is to assure that all events run as smoothly as possible.

This includes signing in and checking out groups who use the facilities, intercepting and resolving building or room problems, as well as being on call (in case of emergencies!) on a rotating basis with other residence life staff. I work with two graduate assistants and, together, we are the "go-to" people who solve problems or help the groups that utilize campus spaces.

For example, I recently helped with Berwick High School's prom which was organized in the Kehr Union Building. I successfully aided in fixing lighting issues in the ballroom, worked with information technology staff sound preparation, and built a professional working relationship with BHS' advisers. Not only was it fun to reminisce my old high school days, I was able to talk to several high school seniors who will attend BU in the fall!

I am looking forward to a summer of meeting new people, learning new skills, and of course staying in touch with all of my CSA friends!

— Chelsea Titus, college student affairs #EducationalLeadership #ProfessionalU

Why do you look so stressed?

When I was in town a few weeks ago, someone I'd estimate to be in their late 40's asked me why I looked so stressed.
 
Who me?

A college student in their 20's, stressed?
 
Maybe a few of these stressors sound familiar to you: Uncertainty of what the heck you're going to be doing for the rest of your life, exams, group projects (that turn into you doing the group project), exercising, friends and family, eating, clubs, volunteer work, social media, roommates. Oh, and you either have a job or internship, or you're desperately searching for one.

We are all playing a game that teaches you how to find your balance. The good news is? As each semester becomes more challenging and involved, you learn to adapt. This is my sixth semester at Bloomsburg, and I have found that with each new semester and each passing year, the balancing game gets easier.

One advantage we have is our schedule. We have a pretty consistent outline of classes and clubs, which makes filling in the gaps a little easier. I have established a routine of basic activities I personally need to do to get me through my day as a sane human being. The first thing I do when I wake up is hit the gym. I love hearing my friends' reactions when they ask if I want to go to the gym with them at 6 p.m., and I tell them I was there 12 hours ago.

Waking up early allows me to have the morning to myself, which as we all know is hard to come by in college. Working out is one of those things that a lot of college students cut out because of time, but it really is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.

If you find it hard to get to the gym or work out, find a way to reward yourself after going, or drag your friends or roommate along with you to make it more enjoyable. I'll be dragging my roommate from sophomore year, Jess, because we have been promising to go to these classes since the fall of 2014. The Rec Center offers classes like Yoga and Pilates, which are focused on building your strength and clearing your mind.

The middle of my days are always the most chaotic- I find myself constantly worrying about where I have to be next or what else I have to get done, and I end up losing out on the moment that I'm in. This is something that I'm trying to get better at, which is why I have taken up mediation and deep breathing.
 
If you asked me to do this at any point before this semester, I literally would have laughed at you and told you that I have no time for deep breathing, because I barely have enough time in my day to breathe at a normal pace. Well, let me tell you, this has changed my life in so many ways — not in a crazy divine ways or even visible changes for that matter, but in smaller important ways.

I am not exaggerating when I tell you that this has made me slow down and feel more at peace with myself and my surroundings. Although I do still jump ahead to the next thing on my schedule, I am more conscious of doing this, and it's still a work in progress.
 
However, I am more productive, more energetic, and overall more attentive to my every day activities. I appreciate the little things more than I used to, something that is so easily taken for granted.

— Kate Armstrong, junior communication studies major #HuskyLife #ProfessionalU

Don't underestimate the power of connections

President of the National Communication Association Student Club (NCASC), community assistant, communication studies major, and intern are just a few titles that define my life at Bloomsburg.

I have to attribute all of my leadership opportunities and involvement to my major — I am constantly networking, socializing, and working with various groups, organizations, and people on campus.

As a junior in college, I often think about life "In the Real World." I would be lying to you if I said I wasn't nervous about graduating or what happens after we leave. College is a weird place.

You leave home after high school, start over in a new place, and spend four years creating a new home and knowing that you have a finite time there. You grow up, make lifetime friends, hopefully find a career interest, and while you are busy with other stuff, you're trying to figure life out. During this process, I have been trying to be more spontaneous and take more risks, which is something that is not really in my nature.

Here is where my story begins

I was a freshman in my second semester of college, sitting at an NCASC meeting that was devoted to elections for the executive board. In that moment I decided to run for the position of vice president.

I can picture myself standing up in a room full of upperclassman, giving a speech as to why I, an 18-year-old who has never directed anyone or anything, would make the best candidate for this role.

What is in my nature is confidence, people skills, and public speaking. And, as it would turn out, I won the election for VP and was the newest member of the executive board.

Plot twist.

I didn't know the president would be graduating in the fall, which meant I would take over as the president in the spring. This was a challenge that I was excited about, and I couldn't have been happier with my choice to run for the executive board.

My second year at Bloomsburg led me to residence life, where I became a CA. This experience has been something I will value forever. Even though I always tell my residents that I'm not their mother, I always think of them as 45 (ish) of my kids, and watching them grow from their first semester to their second is so cool.

Because most of them are freshman, they come to me for advice about pretty much everything, which I love. I feel a responsibility toward them, to help them grow, get involved, and have the best college experience possible. Now I'm in my third year, so I will follow the pattern and talk about the third leadership role I've taken since I have been here.

I talked earlier about how networking and socializing is second nature for me. Don't ever underestimate the power of connections. I landed my marketing and communications internship befriending a member of the NCASC Executive Board, and I can't thank her enough for helping me.

Each year I have added something new to my life, taken a risk that has opened up a new path and new opportunities. I was fortunate enough to find my niche at Bloomsburg very early in the time I have spent here, and I am forever grateful for the people I have met, the opportunities I have had, and the impact I am making here!

Ready to find your niche?

• Spring Activities Fair — representatives from many of the more than 250 clubs and organizations will be on-hand Friday, Feb. 12, during an Activities Fair from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in the KUB Multipurpose 345 A&B.
• Husky Student Leadership Summit — connect on Saturday, Feb. 27, with alumni who once held leadership positions on campus, along with discussions on how to capitalize on skills learned as student leaders in life.

— Kate Armstrong, junior communication studies major #HuskyLife #ProfessionalU

How to survive your last year of grad school

My graduate school experience has had its share of meals on-the-go, motivational self-talks and 16 hour days. Holding two assistantships and advising multiple undergraduate committees and groups, maintaining a full-time class schedule all while preserving some shred of a personal life can be overwhelming at times.

Don’t get me wrong; I feel extremely thankful for the opportunities given to me and I am more driven by my demanding schedule than I have ever felt before.

However, I am not a complete robot and even I still have those moments when anxiety gets the best of me and my inner child just wants to crawl into a pillow fort, where my responsibilities cease to exist, and color pictures of unicorns for a few hours.

I’m not an expert, but I feel as if giving into these fleeting breakdowns once in a while is not only inevitable, but necessary to retaining our humanity as grad students.

Here is my to-do list if you’re interested in keeping your sanity throughout grad school:

• Keep your schedule in your phone. If you’re anything like me, your phone is constantly within an arm’s reach. After experimenting with several different planners and scheduling methods, the most practical form has been my iPhone calendar. Add your daily/weekly schedule first (classes, office hours, etc.) then as soon as you find out something is happening, put it in your phone, set an alert, and free up some space in your brain!
• Stop procrastinating. If you’re someone who is always waiting until the last minute to get things done, now is the time to break that habit. If you don’t already, you’ll soon learn what it’s like for something to come up an hour before a deadline and have to explain why the assignment was late. Your professors and supervisors will accept the “something came up” excuse once or twice, but anyone in Higher Education most likely has a similar schedule and, therefore, squandering sympathy for your lack of ability to plan for unforeseen circumstances.
• Schedule free time. Self-care is different for everyone, but extremely important. If you’re waiting for free time to magically appear, good luck. Figure out how much time you can reasonably set aside for yourself without falling behind in your other responsibilities. If family, friends or gym time is important to you, schedule it. If it’s already in your calendar, when someone asks when you can add a meeting, you’ll be less likely to take away the only hour you have to yourself.
• Sleep. Eat. Study. You are a human first and a student second. Everything else will come with time. Adding everything at once will only be detrimental to your health, grades and duties.
• When things get overwhelming, re-evaluate. Grad school is a perfect time to learn how to balance time and experiment with how much you can take on and still give 100%. When that percentage starts to drop, your balancing act might need reassessment. If you find yourself completely booked with no time to sleep study or eat, it’s time to rework your current plan. Maybe it means taking a few hours away from one position and adding them somewhere else. Maybe a conversation with an advisor or supervisor can add some clarity and take away some pressure. It might also mean dropping one responsibility completely, and that’s ok sometimes. You can always add more responsibilities again after you get a better grip on things.
• Don’t panic. Grad school is the perfect place to make mistakes. You’re probably surrounded by helping professionals who want nothing more than to see you succeed! If everything hasn’t fallen into place quite yet, don’t worry too much. It will.

— Alyssa Meyers is obtaining a graduate degree in Counseling and College Student Affairs (CSA) at Bloomsburg University, where she holds a graduate assistantship in the Student Activities Office. There, she assists in overseeing Bloomsburg's Program Board, Concert Committee and other groups and committees related to campus-wide event and activity planning.

Alyssa also holds a part-time position at Penn State University's Hazleton campus, where she is the Assistant Coordinator in the Office of Residence Life. In this position, she oversees a 10-person student Resident Assistant staff, works with the full-time residence life staff and participates in on-call or "Duty" responsibilities.

Prior to starting her career in student affairs, worked as a caseworked at Columbia County Children and Youth Services. She gained experience in crisis management, community health, and strength-based intervention strategies. Last summer, Alyssa moved to the Los Angeles area and worked with the Student Life and Engagement staff at Marymount California University. The focal point of her summer was designing an LGBT Safe Zone training manual and additional programming for the upcoming academic year.

Welcome to the Smith Olympics

It may have just been another beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon to everyone else but to me and my staff it was a big day!

We planned for this day for weeks and finally our first big program was about to happen, the “Smith Olympics.” The residence hall I oversee — of over 250 first year students — is called Smith hall which is located right next to a nice big grassy lawn.

My staff and I came up with having a day, just like the Olympics, of games for the residents and a prize at the end for the wining team! The games that we led included:

• volleyball
• tug of war
• Frisbee
• and a relay race

My RAs prepared wonderfully and also had music speakers set up so everyone was able to listen to music throughout the day.

The residents along with my staff were able to bond and get to know one another while having fun and jamming out to music. I was very proud to have such a successful event take place all because my RAs made it happen. To see the students smiling and getting along was great.

We hope that the “Smith Olympics,” can become a tradition at Susquehanna University and continue on for the years to come. I am just thankful that I was able to be a part of it and make a positive impact on this campus.

— Kami Skoloda, a Lancaster native, is a second year student in the Counseling and College Student Affairs (CSA) program. She received her bachelor’s degree in Interpersonal Communications from Bloomsburg University (BU) in 2013. Her senior year she interned in the ACT 101 office at working with academic probation students. As an intern, Kami worked alongside several CSA graduate students suggested she consider a career in college student affairs.

My life in a nutshell: Hard at Play

I am currently a full time graduate student in the Student Affairs program at Bloomsburg University, a half-time (20 hours per week) graduate assistant in Bloomsburg’s Student Activities office and a part-time staff member (20 hours per week + overnight/weekend “duty”) at Penn State Hazelton’s Office of Residence Life.

A typical day begins around 8 a.m. and ends when I return home between 10 and 11 p.m. My weekends often consist of late-night student activities and weekend day trips and/or weekend duty responsibilities. Just so you have the whole picture, I also commute to and from Hazleton, about 30 minutes each way, usually 5-6 days per week to accommodate my various commitments.

When I explain my life and schedule, the response I usually receive is “When do you sleep?!” The way I choose to see it, I have been blessed with a very high energy level and a love of my work, so I don’t mind my 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. days, I actually thrive on them.

This thriving is the point of my post. When people respond to my schedule negatively, I always come back with a smile. Each time I explain my schedule to others, I use it as an opportunity to remind myself how very blessed I am to be in these positions! One of my learning points is that I have a difficult time staying on-task if my schedule is not laid out and stacked.

Instead of letting myself waste “down” time, I am making the conscious decision to take full advantage of my high energy level, my freedom as a single young professional and the unique opportunities provided to me through the College Student Affairs program and career path. I am choosing to stack my days (and my resume!) with awesome experiences.

Each day, I grow more thankful for the knowledge I am gaining, not only in College Student Affairs, but in schedule management, relationship building, leadership (on several levels), prioritizing and much more.

For the record, I DO sleep; 8 hours, every night (unless I get distracted by Pinterest, of course). As a footnote to my life-in-a-nutshell, I’d like to say that self-care is EXTREMELY important and a schedule like mine is definitely not for everyone! I take advantage of the few hours per week that I have to do things for myself (visit with family and friends, hike, run, travel, etc.).

I am a firm believer in the idea that, when someone is truly passionate about what they do, they never work a day in their life. This is why, when people question my decision to take on so many responsibilities at once, I am able to respond by saying I’m not overworked, I’m simply Hard at Play.

— Alyssa Meyers is obtaining a graduate degree in Counseling and College Student Affairs (CSA) at Bloomsburg University, where she holds a graduate assistantship in the Student Activities Office. There, she assists in overseeing Bloomsburg's Program Board, Concert Committee and other groups and committees related to campus-wide event and activity planning.

Alyssa also holds a part-time position at Penn State University's Hazleton campus, where she is the Assistant Coordinator in the Office of Residence Life. In this position, she oversees a 10-person student Resident Assistant staff, works with the full-time residence life staff and participates in on-call or "Duty" responsibilities.

Prior to starting her career in student affairs, worked as a caseworked at Columbia County Children and Youth Services. She gained experience in crisis management, community health, and strength-based intervention strategies. Last summer, Alyssa moved to the Los Angeles area and worked with the Student Life and Engagement staff at Marymount California University. The focal point of her summer was designing an LGBT Safe Zone training manual and additional programming for the upcoming academic year.

Where am I living next year?

It’s time to start considering your living arrangements for next year. I know it seems like you just got here, how are you possibly expected to choose a place to live in this new town you’re just getting used to? I have a few pointers to hopefully help make this decision a little easier.

First, it’s important to explore all your options here in Bloomsburg. Nothing is worse than rushing into something and later regretting the location you have already signed for. I am assuming most of you have never signed a lease before and it can be scary, but I promise it feels a lot better to sign when you’re 100 percent happy with your new space. The first decision you have to make is deciding whether you want to live on or off campus.

Living On Campus

On-campus living can be broken down into two areas: the dorms and on- campus apartments. Most of you are already living in the dorms and have a grasp for what dorm-living is all about.

In most cases you are able to select your dorm and can choose your roommate(s). This option remains a possibility for every year up until graduation as long as you remain on campus. Keep in mind that once you move off campus, you cannot move back. This also holds true for upper campus apartments.

On upper campus there are three apartment buildings you can sign up for to live in, which are first come, first serve.

• Montgomery Place Apartments (MPA) are the closest to campus and have 2 bedrooms per apartment, hold 4 students and have 1 bathroom to share. 
• Mount Olympus Apartments (MOA) are further up the hill and are townhouse styled apartments. They hold 6 students, with each student having their own bedroom and 2 bathrooms to share. 
• Jessica Kozloff Apartments (JKA) are the furthest uphill, right near the Blue Lot. This apartment complex holds 4 students, with each student having their own bedroom and they also have 2 bathrooms to share. 

Keep in mind that these apartments all have a shuttle that runs regularly between lower and upper campus. Because these apartments are on-campus, there are CA’s and it is still considered ‘dry’, meaning no alcohol is allowed no matter your age. I think these apartments are especially great for those who may be nervous to make the transition from the dorms to downtown right away. Of course they are also great for those who want to experience a different kind of on-campus living!

• Kile Apartments, located right behind Schuykill dorm on Penn Street are also considered on-campus, but they are slightly different. 

These apartments have 2 CA’s as well as a landlord. It is a little more expensive than upper campus apartments however they are significantly closer to town. These apartments range from 2-6 students, with the larger apartments having two bathrooms and the smaller ones having one bathroom. In this complex everyone gets their own room. You can always contact Res-Life for more information as well as pricing on any of these locations.

Living Off Campus

When I was a sophomore I chose a different route and moved off campus. Off-campus living offers a variety of options as far as where you live, how many roommates you can have and what is all included. These options are generally always more expensive than on-campus living and requires a little more responsibility since your living is no longer affiliated with BU.

I moved into an apartment my sophomore year, which was slightly more expensive than the average off-campus apartment, however it came completely furnished and all utilities were included except electric. You can also elect to sign for an apartment that is cheaper however you may pay that money you save in rent by renting furniture or paying all of your utilities.

My junior year I signed for a furnished house where my utilities were not included and it was definitely a shock compared to barely paying any my sophomore year and no utilities in the dorms as a freshman.

With that in mind it is very important to shop around and stay informed of your decisions. There are a wide variety of landlords who rent to BU students so check them all out, as they all offer different benefits.

Consider your budget and talk with your families and future roommates about what is best for you.

Deciding on a place to live for next year can be seem overwhelming and sudden but it is important to start thinking about this sooner than later. I can’t tell you exactly when certain places with fill up, but I do know the best places obviously go first. I have always signed my leases by the end of October to make sure I could secure the apartment I wanted, but if you need more time to figure things out you can always contact Res-Life or desired landlords to see what their availability looks like.

Good luck on your housing hunt and enjoy the rest of your semester!

— Sierra Kern, Class of 2015 #HuskyLife

Welcome to grad school ... a new life, a very exciting life

I took the summer after my college graduation off — no classes! — and started my master’s degree in August 2013. My first semester, I had a graduate assistantship position through the academic achievement office.

A graduate assistantship (GA) means you work on campus and get remunerated with a stipend and part of your tuition is paid for. In my role, I helped start a brand new program called the Sophomore Success Program at BU. This is a mentoring program designed to help undeclared sophomore status students raise their GPAs and declare a major.

I have been the GA for this program ever since and really enjoy working with this population of students. Through my experience as a GA for this program, I have strengthened many skills, such as:

• counseling techniques
• providing resources
• mentoring
• tutoring
• leadership
• building relationships
• assessment

This semester I also am also serving as the Graduate Resident Director at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove. For this position I oversee a first year residence hall with around 250 students. I work closely with another head resident and eight resident assistants.

Working in residence life is new to me, but I find it to be very exciting.

As for my life outside of academics, I enjoy working out and playing basketball, volleyball, and ping pong. I was an intramural volleyball referee for around six semesters at BU throughout my schooling and also played for fun.

— Kami Skoloda, a Lancaster native, is a second year student in the Counseling and College Student Affairs (CSA) program. She received her bachelor’s degree in Interpersonal Communications from Bloomsburg University (BU) in 2013. Her senior year she interned in the ACT 101 office at working with academic probation students. As an intern, Kami worked alongside several CSA graduate students suggested she consider a career in college student affairs.