There are two major philosophies that guide my life. The first is that you never stop learning. Even with all of my education and training and experience, situations will arise that I have never encountered before. While past knowledge will help inform the decisions I make during these situations, ultimately the situations themselves will become a part of my knowledge, and so it’s important to embrace both the good and the bad that come from them.
The second philosophy then, is to not worry about bad things I cannot change. As a student affairs professional, I know I am going to encounter chaos abundant, and it is therefore important that I remain calm and comfortable in that chaos (Sandeen & Barr, 2006). I make it my priority to find solutions and move forward, rather than worrying about who’s to blame for the problem. Reynolds (2009) empathizes the importance of having awareness of our comfort with chaos because how we manage such situations has a great impact on those around us. I remember being in a few situations where people became so angry and frustrated that it got to the point where I began to lose confidence in them as a leader. In order to prevent such situations from happening to myself, within my Helping Skills II class I was able to reflect on my anger management strategies and the impact such actions have on the workplace. I was able to reflect on similar concepts in my Capstone class, by analyzing the results of a test I took on positive thinking. ​
I’ll admit that there are certain chaos situations that I am more comfortable with others, and that largely extends from my past experiences. I can deal with frustrated and angry people, or packages and artists not arriving on time, but if there was a medical emergency or a fight it would take me time to react. In order to address this limitation, I know it is imperative that I familiarize myself with the policies and procedures of the campus at which I am employed. This means having knowledge of what resources are available to me and learning which situations I can manage on my own and which need to be brought to the attention of a supervisor. In addition, Bridges (2004) recommends finding a personal confident. A confident does not necessarily have to be someone you seek out for advice, but rather serves as someone who can listen as you put your dilemmas and feelings into words. Having such a person will help me to manage my emotions and better address situations as they arise.
Guiding principles are just one portion of the Personal Foundations competency. Another is the ability to balance and manage one’s work and personal life. In the past, I would often stay late at work to finish a project, since one of my strengths is being an achiever (as per the StrengthsQuest Assessment). Achievers are those who wake-up every day with a to-do list, and feel as though the day is wasted if it ends without completing something on that list. Recently, however, I have learned that just because a job isn't done doesn't mean that progress wasn't made on it. Breaking assignments up into tasks helps me to better manage my work and personal life while still satisfying my achiever tendencies. As a student affairs professional, a 9-5 day is not always guaranteed. For this reason, it is imperative that we take time for ourselves when we can so that we are refreshed and energized when the time to work comes.
Because I am an ambivert, I draw my energy from time spent alone (though I also enjoy spending time with others and socializing). When I have free moments, I like to work on arts and craft projects such as sewing or quilting. I also enjoy reading novels, or attempting to write one of my own!
REFERENCES:
ACPA & NASPA. (2010). Professional competency areas for student affairs practitioners. Washington, DC: Authors.
Bridges, W. (2004). Transitions: Making sense of life’s changes (2nd ed.). Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press
Reynolds, A. (2009). Helping college students: Developing essential support skills for student affairs practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass
Sandeen, A. & Barr, M. (2006). Critical issues for student affairs. Jossey Bass: San Francisco, CA.
Personal Foundations
The Personal Foundations competency area involves the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to maintain emotional, physical, social, environmental, relational, spiritual, and intellectual wellness; be self-directed and self-reflective, maintain excellence and integrity in work; be comfortable with ambiguity; be aware of one's own areas of strength and growth; have a passion for work; and remain curious."
(ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p.24)
 Tubing on the San Marco River in Texas with my fellow NODA interns. |  My cohort members have provided me with amazing friendships and a wealth of memories. Here we are at our 2015 Holiday Party. |  Visiting Olympic Park in Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
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 This picture is from Student Involvement and Activities 2015 fall retreat. I am blessed to have been able to work with a wonderful office at Salem State. |  Enjoying the ACPA 2016 Convention in Montreal with my fellow cohort members. |  I try to get together with my mother at least once a month. Here we are at Paint Night at Wicked Art Bar in Beverly, MA. |
 A visit to Joe's Coffee in Austin, TX. This is one of the city's famous murals. |  My cohort members have provided me with amazing friendships and a wealth of memories.In spring 2015 we participated in an intramural dodge ball competition. We didn't make it very far, but we had a lot of fun! |  My best friend from college and I get together several times a year. Here we are in early 2015 at Boston's Museum of Science Dinosaur Exhibit. |
 NACA is a time for professional development, event planning, and a bit of fun. Here I am with a balloon minion that was on display during one of 2015 NACA Northeast's CAMP sessions |  Visiting the Gulf Coast within Montreal's Olympic Park Biodome. |  A winter visit with my best friends from college. Though we have all gone our separate ways, we get together regularly twice a year. |