This is my fourth post of the five-day BSU BlogFest series, where BSU community members share their thoughts on a common topic each day. BSU BlogFest is one of the featured aspects of Social Media Week, hosted by the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.
Please check out other bloggers' contributions via the BSU BlogFest web site!
Thursday's BlogFest Theme: Community
So today, I decided I would deviate a bit from the prompting questions provided to us. Today's post begins at my alma mater of Radford University in Virginia, but it ends with Bridgewater State University. Though I've touched on it a little bit already, I really wanted to share in greater depth the community that started my career in Residence Life. That would be the Residence Hall Association.
Before going to college, I was painfully shy and didn't have much confidence in myself. High school was definitely not my cup of tea. The first thing I did when I graduated with my high school diploma was dye my hair bright neon red (like Woody Woodpecker red) since that kind of thing was never allowed in a private school setting. This was my way of showing my "punk" independence. The funny thing is by August when it was time to set off to college for the first time, my hair color faded to pink. Pink hair is an interesting way to start college, I suppose. I had all the first-year student jitters, but I was starting a new life with a blank slate.
I laid low during my first year, but I made a great friendship with a pal Marcus who remains my best friend to this day. He was really outgoing, so his friends became my friends. We ended up being roommates during my sophomore year, and that's when things really took off for me. Little did I know that I would soon finally know what it means to be a part of a community. Marcus was elected president of the hall council where we lived. I didn't run for anything, as that was too overwhelming for me. But mid-year, the vice president position opened up. No one was interested, and Marcus encouraged me to go for it. "What? Speak in front of the five or ten people who attend the weekly meetings? No way!" I said. I always chuckle to myself when I think back to that moment in time. But Marcus was relentless, and he brought me over to meet with the Resident Director. The RD told me if I was interested in the position, it was mine - she could appoint me.
So I took my first step. As the vice president, I helped run programs for the hall council. I also decided to develop a web site for our hall council since I had those abilities. Back in 1998/1999, not many people really knew how to design web sites because it required knowledge of HTML. After I designed the web site, our's was one of only two among the 18 or so hall councils. I really felt like I was making an impact in the community. The Area Coordinator supervising the four halls in our area recommended I design the web site for the RHA, and I was SO excited. I feel giddy just thinking back to that moment. So the RHA created an appointed webmaster position for me.
A strong community helps individuals feel empowered. That's what it did for me. The weekly RHA meetings were definitely a step up from the hall council. They tended to get about fifty hall representatives every week. I wasn't satisfied with just creating the web site at the time. I also pushed for a campus wide contest to design a logo for the RHA, since they never had one. And I spoke up in every RHA meeting. For me, that was a big deal but it helped me develop more confidence in my public speaking abilities. Remember, speaking in front of five people was terrifying for me.
Ultimately, I ended up being the vice president of policies and procedures for the RHA after a highly contested election. I was on top of the world. But then in April 2000, I suddenly faced an illness that required major emergency surgery. That ended up being a life-changing experience. A little bit of it was because it was life-threatening so I respected life a heck of a lot more. But the BIGGER, more important part for me was that all of the RHA Executive Board members stopped in to see me at different times during my week-long hospital stay. The cards and outpouring of support was overwhelming.
At this point, I truly knew what it was to be part of a community. It's not just about planning programs, going to conferences, or pushing for campus policy changes -- though those are really important things. It's about a sense of belonging. It's about finding purpose and meaning. It's about developing your identity. And it's about giving back to others. The RHA brought me out of my shell and instilled self-confidence. It changed my life. And I knew I wanted to give back. It's because of that community, I was encouraged to go for graduate school in higher education. An assistantship as a resident director paid the way. I will always remember my first RA staff with fondness, and there was a point that I got every one on my staff a simple key chain with a symbol of a hand that represents "Unity." It remains on my key chain to this day.
Fast forward several years to our current academic year at BSU. I am really proud to currently serve this year as one of the co-advisors for BSU's fantastic RHA. They are a wonderful community of student leaders on the executive board and among the general body. They are doing great things this year and creating a bigger name for themselves on the campus and throughout the region. I applaud them, and it's an honor to help advise the same kind of community that made me who I am back in 1999. RHA is something truly special. It's what community means to me.
Before going to college, I was painfully shy and didn't have much confidence in myself. High school was definitely not my cup of tea. The first thing I did when I graduated with my high school diploma was dye my hair bright neon red (like Woody Woodpecker red) since that kind of thing was never allowed in a private school setting. This was my way of showing my "punk" independence. The funny thing is by August when it was time to set off to college for the first time, my hair color faded to pink. Pink hair is an interesting way to start college, I suppose. I had all the first-year student jitters, but I was starting a new life with a blank slate.
I laid low during my first year, but I made a great friendship with a pal Marcus who remains my best friend to this day. He was really outgoing, so his friends became my friends. We ended up being roommates during my sophomore year, and that's when things really took off for me. Little did I know that I would soon finally know what it means to be a part of a community. Marcus was elected president of the hall council where we lived. I didn't run for anything, as that was too overwhelming for me. But mid-year, the vice president position opened up. No one was interested, and Marcus encouraged me to go for it. "What? Speak in front of the five or ten people who attend the weekly meetings? No way!" I said. I always chuckle to myself when I think back to that moment in time. But Marcus was relentless, and he brought me over to meet with the Resident Director. The RD told me if I was interested in the position, it was mine - she could appoint me.
So I took my first step. As the vice president, I helped run programs for the hall council. I also decided to develop a web site for our hall council since I had those abilities. Back in 1998/1999, not many people really knew how to design web sites because it required knowledge of HTML. After I designed the web site, our's was one of only two among the 18 or so hall councils. I really felt like I was making an impact in the community. The Area Coordinator supervising the four halls in our area recommended I design the web site for the RHA, and I was SO excited. I feel giddy just thinking back to that moment. So the RHA created an appointed webmaster position for me.
Ultimately, I ended up being the vice president of policies and procedures for the RHA after a highly contested election. I was on top of the world. But then in April 2000, I suddenly faced an illness that required major emergency surgery. That ended up being a life-changing experience. A little bit of it was because it was life-threatening so I respected life a heck of a lot more. But the BIGGER, more important part for me was that all of the RHA Executive Board members stopped in to see me at different times during my week-long hospital stay. The cards and outpouring of support was overwhelming.
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