The Role

Connectedness-Restorative-Includer-Adaptability-Empathy

I bring a lot to the table as mentioned in my last post.  As a role model for new NSMs, I can bring my experience with my FYSEM and other first-year students to give advice and support. I also bring a level of maturity to teach them when certain issues need to be stressed during trainings. To be a role model, I believe, comes from acting accordingly-- to practice what I preach.

Things I would keep the same:
-Respect for first-year students
-My energy level
-My presence in the classroom
-My resources
-My open-communication style

Things I would change:
-Try harder for programs
-Do weirder ice-breakers
-Joke more
-Plan accordingly, no expectations

As an NSM I ultimately, believe intuition is your best friend.  You have to look at the group of students you are given and see how you can keep them from killing each other.  You have to find a median between crazy, pumped up energy and deep conversation mode.  Students are the test for NSMs, but they also have the same amount of responsibility to be invested in a group--NSMs are just the start of that journey.  

The Experience

Being a NSM has definitely been one for the books.  This experience has solidified my passion to make a difference in peoples' lives no matter the size.  I am incredibly grateful.

Honestly, I hate talking about myself, but I have learned to own it. So here I go--I am a person who can have difficult conversations, stand up for what I believe to be true, kind, and fair.  I have amazing intuition that always proves itself to me and others.  I am able to manage a group of people while inspiring them to be their best authentic selves. I can fix issues with tact and give advice to solve the conflict or problem.  I have deep empathy for others. Also I think I bring a unique outlook of life to the table.  I am inspired so much by people and their stories--its time to empower them for their vulnerability and strengths in this world. For these reasons and outlooks,  I believe this makes me a strong candidate for another amazing spot on the OFYP team.

One struggle I overcome this semester was the incompatibility of my students.  I had to realize that they were not going to be a "family" nor was I going to force them to be.  I asked for guidance through other NSMs and staff to see what I could do, but all answers pointed to "it is what it is." We as NSMs are trained into thinking our FYSEMs are going to be one big, happy family, in my case, it was far from--and that's okay, but with that feels like failure on my part.  With this struggle, I came through it learning a lot about myself and about my relations with others. 

The Connection

Becoming a NSM was one of my biggest dreams that followed the end of my first year at Hamline.
I was so incredibly lucky to be chosen out of over 100 applicants.  I knew my life would be forever changed because of the OFYP program.

My first Piper Preview was terrifying, but I grew in confidence.  I knew that I had the innate ability to help make incoming  first-year students comfortable with their first full experience on Hamline's campus.  I had to use my intuition--something I knew I had--to feel out each group of students.  I did icebreakers, introductions of the campus, and just plainly talked/listened to the students.  Some had mentioned how they respected that I wasn't this crazy, overly extraverted human.  I was importantly the most authentic person I could be with them.  Following Previews, I mentioned to each group of students that they could connect with me over text, email, Facebook, Instagram if they had any other prevailing questions or concerns.  I was lucky enough to maintain some of these relationships throughout the summer and into the fall semester, even though, most of these students were not "my" first-years.

Training had come and gone, Passages was a flash.  When I was standing with the FYSEM 22 sign, the butterflies were back and I just hoped--more so prayed--that my students would like me.  We got into the first introduction circle outside of Sorin and they were tired--like all of us.  In that moment my intuition had to kick in, I needed to respect them, but also learn their names, something about them and get their contact information.  So in a mellow, cool tone I had them laughing and promised them that they only had to do a few cool icebreakers--that weren't too embarrassing.  We had grown together during Passages, but not how I expected.  There was respect and good attitudes--we were not a family by any means. I thought something was wrong.  Didn't I do everything right?

FYSEM 22 got to the classroom for the first class period.  Betsy, Chrissy, and I were all reacquainted after a chain of emails.  We were ready to work towards a great semester with the first-year students. As the weeks progressed,  the students didn't seem too enthusiastic about "What to Eat Now." Betsy, Chrissy, and I communicated weekly about how the FYSEM was doing and what we were planning. We did food on Thursdays with healthful and fun snacks, played educational games, etc. I would mention to the students about doing programs, but their schedule and my schedule were not compatible.  Nor were they impressed or interested.  We were not the "family" I was expecting.  In that light, I made sure the students knew I was a valuable resource and  that I had a presence in the classroom; they respected and ultimately wanted that.  The majority of my students were athletes who had their networks built well before Passages had even started and they continued those relationships beyond our FYSEM.  They were a very mature group that found respect for each other--I guess that's okay.  They are a great group of students who definitely had a plan coming into Hamline--much like myself.