A Niner Reminder

Reveling in the NFC championship victory by the San Francisco 49ers yesterday, I recalled a sort of youthful joy about football that I haven't felt since I was just fourteen years old.  This was back in the Niners' 1994 season when they won the Super Bowl.  I vividly remember jumping up and down for joy, though I was also sick with a cold and was so ready to go to sleep.  I didn't realize that when I'd wake up, the next time I'd see the 49ers headed to the Super Bowl would be eighteen years later.  

Since I save just about every paper I've ever written, I found one I wrote during my freshman year in college (1997) about how my love for the 49ers began, the first game that I ever went to, and the proclamation that I'd always stick with this team for life through the good times and the bad times.  The Niners have been a difficult team to watch for many years, and it's great to see the good times have finally returned.  

Watching Steve Young's enshrining in the
NFL Hall of Fame in San Francisco. [2005]

I've seen the 49ers play at several locales: Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, NC.; Cincinnati, OH; and Seattle, WA.  And in that freshman paper, I expressed a dream to see the 49ers play at home in Candlestick Park.  That ultimately happened when I lived in Idaho and decided to take a vacation in San Francisco.  I had no idea that the game I bought a ticket for would also feature the induction of none other than quarterback legend Steve Young into the NFL Hall of Fame.  That was a memorable, beautiful autumn day in November 2005.

Now I'm pulling (of course) for a Niner victory against the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII on February 3 (otherwise known as the "HarBowl" - the battle of the Harbaugh brothers).  It sure would bring back some super childhood memories and feelings.

So I thought I'd share that old paper from '97 in a blog post and provide some insight into the thoughts of an eighteen year old and how I came to love this San Francisco 49er franchise. Go Niners! 

The 49ers Game

Five years ago, I was a kid who didn't care about football.  It had no meaning in my life.  I was obsessed with computers and math, and I had virtually no social life.  I had a love for statistical figures.  One late night, I was spending my time surfing the Internet and I think I came across a little flashing button.  It led to a program that would take in statistics from football games, and try to determine what team would win in a upcoming game, based on their past results.  I thought this was all pretty cool, so I took out the morning paper and inputted statistics such as rushing yards, number of incomplete passes, number of interceptions, etc.  Many of these statistics I didn't have a clue of what they represented.  After I did all that input, I selected a game scheduled in a few days.  It said the 49ers would win.  I just had to wait until game day.

Game day.  I turn on the TV, preparing for what I initially thought would be three boring hours.  At this point, I didn't care about the game, but rather the statistics produced at the conclusion of the game.  My memory of the game is vague, so I can't remember who the opponent of the 49ers were.  Throughout the ballgame, the score remained close, but the other team took a quick lead with only a few minutes remaining on the clock.  With only a couple minutes in the game, I began to feel the tension and emotion of football.  The 49ers were behind, and they had only one final drive remaining.  If they screwed up now, they would lose the game.  The pressure was on them to win.  I began to root for the 49ers, because they were now the underdogs.  I've always liked the idea of being pushed back and fighting back to win.  The 49ers took charge and drove down the field, scoring a game-winning touchdown.  It was at this time that I would forever love the 49ers football team.

I'd eventually get a close view of my Niner idol, Jerry Rice
at a game in Charlotte, NC. [1998]

For a whole year, I watched the 49ers win and lose games and I also continued to put those statistics in the computer.  I eventually got drawn farther away from the statistical part of the game, and got closer to the power of the game.  It took me time, but I began to learn all the players' names, and the one name that always sticks out in my mind is Jerry Rice.  He is probably the greatest football player ever.  His dexterity and speed always had me in awe.  The guy would be covered all the way down field during a play and still find some way to break away and catch the ball.  After the catch, his speed would take over and he'd leave all the other players in shock.  Players like this make the game worth while and exciting.  

For the first couple years, the 49ers would have a good season and would go to the playoffs.  But they'd always lose to the Dallas Cowboys.  I grew to hate the Cowboys and I learned what a true rivalry between two teams really was. 

In their season of 1994, I got the chance to go see the 49ers play the Redskins at RFK Stadium.  It was a Christmas present from my parents.  Washington D.C. was a four hour trip from Norfolk, Va, and it seemed to take forever, as I was so excited to go to the game.  A lot of my friends told me before I left that 49ers would get their asses kicked by the Redskins, but of course they only wished that would happen.  The 49ers were by far, much better than the Redskins.  The trip to D.C. finally was over and we stayed overnight at a hotel.  It was difficult for me to sleep that night; my excitement could not be contained.  

Nostalgia: The old Game Day magazine
from the Redskins-49ers game that I saved.
[1994]

Sunday, a cool sunny November day.  My mother and I took a bus to the stadium.  It only took a few minutes and finally, we were there.  The stadium looked so huge from the outside.  We went to the entrance where a man took our tickets and handed back the ticket stubs.  Once inside, the stadium became even larger.  We went through the walkway surrounding the football field and closer seats.  It was a difficult task finding our seats.  It took around twenty minutes to finally find them.  Our seats were farther away from the field than most of the seats.  To our surprise, our seats were in the walkway.  The good thing about it was that the sun wasn't in our eyes, however, it was pretty hard to see the players down on the field, being so far away. Once we were in our seats, I looked around and saw all the people sporting their team's colors.  Of course, it was mostly Redskins fans.  But there were a few 49ers fans close to us. It took a while for the game to start, and as we were waiting, we bought a program booklet with all kinds of articles and stats on the upcoming game. The one statistic that popped out in my head was the 49ers record at RFK stadium.  In the recent seasons, the 49ers only won one game and lost four. It worried me that the 49ers had a losing record here, and perhaps they might lose again.   

When the game started, the crowd went wild. Everyone was cheering.  The Redskins band came out and played the famous "Hail to the Redskins" song, and then the teams were on the field, getting in formation to kick.  It was difficult to see all the players on the field from where we were.  Luckily, we had a pair of binoculars to get a better look.  I was so thrilled to see all the 49ers players on the field.  I looked for Jerry Rice and Steve Young, and all the other many excellent players.  These NFL superstar players were on a field, and I was a part of the whole game.  Without the crowd, football would be nothing.  The cheers, jeers, and boos are all necessary parts of the game, and besides, they make it so much more interesting and thrilling.  Sometimes the 49ers would create big plays, such as Jerry Rice catching a long touchdown pass.  It was what I saw on television - except now it was right in front of me - Jerry Rice catching the ball in mid-air, and somehow managing to break away from the Redskins player, running with intense speed.  When watching television, the crowd noise doesn't overpower you, and you're not a part of the game. The camera is in control of what you see and hear, while when you're at the game, you can hear and see everything. The 49ers won this game handily with more than a two touchdown lead.  I saved the ticket stub from this game, and it now sits back home in my closet.  It is a memento of the game, and just touching it brings back the feeling of the game.

I feel very lucky that I saw the 49ers play that season of 1994, because that year, the 49ers finished with a fantastic record.  They once again had to play the Cowboys in the playoffs.

This time, they did not lose.  They finally made it to the Super Bowl. 

On Super Bowl night, they would be playing the San Diego Chargers.  There was no competition here.  The Chargers were lucky to make it to the Super Bowl and the 49ers were destined to go after their thrilling season.  The 49ers offense and defense were both extraordinary.  Throughout the season, they had scored over thirty points in almost every game, and held the other teams to very low scores.  The playoffs was just as easy for them.  The Dallas Cowboys were humbled immediately in their match-up in the playoffs - the 49ers scored three touchdowns in just the first few minutes.  The Chargers had a fairly good season, but their trip through the playoffs was difficult for them.  They squeaked out a couple lucky close wins.  When the two teams met on the field in Miami, Florida for the Super Bowl, the 49ers showed the Chargers and the nation why they were the number one NFL football team. The 49ers whooped the Chargers' asses, making fools of them.  The final score was 49-26.  This Super Bowl win was so great because Steve Young, the quarterback, finally got the monkey off his back.  That monkey was Joe Montana, one of the greatest quarterbacks ever.  Joe Montana had won several Super Bowls while Steve Young hadn't even been to one.  Steve Young used to be the backup quarterback and since Montana was sent to the Chiefs, Young had the huge challenge of taking the reins of the 49er football team, in the shadow of Montana.  I think the win made things much easier for Young, since the media finally stopped procrastinating about how Young was no good, always have a great season, but then failing miserably in the playoffs.  

It has now been three years since the 49ers have been to the Super Bowl, and hopefully this season will lead to it.  They have a good shot at it, having already clinching their division and ensuring a good position in the playoffs.  Through these last five years, I have developed a great love for the 49ers.  Throughout the many Christmases and birthdays, I gained a large collection of 49er items.  Anywhere from sweatshirts to a clock to a trashcan - you name it, I've got it.  On a final note, I'm definitely not one of those people who jump on the bandwagon, rooting for only the team that is currently doing well.  I will stick with the 49ers for all my life, no matter how poorly they may do at times throughout.  The next hope of mine is to see the 49ers play at their stadium in San Francisco, California.  The excitement of the 49er fans, and just knowing that I was on the 49ers home turf, would leave a fantastic moment for my memories beyond.

Where I Got My Res Life Roots

Tonight I thought I'd sift through some old papers and poems I'd written in high school and college - because, yes, I save almost all of them.  But then I came across something that brightened my evening - something I haven't read in years.  It's an "OTM" or Of-the-Month award - one of those acronyms we use in student affairs.  I think it's a sign that I need to start writing them again because I was so persistent about recognizing others as a college student.  I always felt it put a positive mark on a person's life - it put the spotlight on them and gave them strength in knowing the work they did was meaningful.  A little extra side effect?  It made me feel good to recognize others, too.

I rarely get teary-eyed but reading this OTM tonight that an RHA colleague wrote about me in February 2000 has certainly reminded me of where I got my res life roots.  It's totally self-promoting to post it but it's been more than twelve years since it was written.  And maybe folks who know me now can get a little sense of the guy I was.  I'm glad I saved it.  Thank you Kristen for the sweet nomination you wrote about me back then.  We lost touch but I hope you're rocking whatever you're doing in life.  :) 

Here ya go, everyone.

             Have you ever met the type of person that at first does not outwardly seek leadership positions, but when he finally does accept a position the results are remarkable? Michael Goodhart is that type of leader. At the beginning of the school year, Radford University’s Residence Hall Association (RHA) decided to create the appointed position of Webmaster. Michael more than fit the bill, through his love of computers and previously made web sites. 

            During the month of February, Michael has, without a doubt, been RU’s greatest residence hall student leader. He has added to and maintained the RHA web site almost daily. Recently, he has even scanned and posted pictures of RHA conferences, programs, and intramural events. One of his major projects during the month of February was formulating the RHA logo contest. He saw that RU’s RHA had a slogan but no logo, so he compiled examples from other Residence Hall Organizations across the country to show hall senators in hopes that someone would draw a logo for a reward of twenty-five dollars. Michael received over fifteen submissions by the end of the month, which was way more than anticipated! 

            Being fairly new to RHA, Michael had never attended a leadership conference. His first opportunity came at the beginning of February when the Virginia Association of College and University Residence Halls (VACURH) held their annual conference. The National Communications Coordinator chose Michael to head the name tags committee. This year, nametags would be judged as opposed to displays. Michael’s committee worked diligently to produce creative nametags that well represented Radford. The delegation proudly showed them off at VACURH. 

             Then during mid-February, Radford began preparing for the No Frills conference and writing a School of the Year bid. Even though it was not in his job description, Michael worked many sleepless hours on the bid with other executive board members. He played a vital role in compiling information, proofreading others’ work, and polishing up the final details. 

            Not only had Michael attended his first conference and helped write a School of the Year bid, but he also found time to start planning for next year. Executive board members for Radford’s RHA had to complete their bids to run by the end of the month. Michael knew he wanted to be even more involved next year, so he decided to run for Vice Chair of Policies and Procedures. His bid was not only thorough and concise, but it was ready to be turned in a week early! 

            In addition to his work with residence hall government on the campus level, Michael helps to advise his respective Residence Hall Council in Trinkle Hall. He is a positive role model for the hall council officers to emulate. They look to him for advice and ask for help during meetings when things are not running as planned. Officers also come to Michael for one-on-one guidance. This month, he has successful encouraged two hall officers to run for campus-wide positions next year! While still advising and helping Trinkle Hall Council, Michael also maintains their web site. His ability to create remarkable web sites even fascinates students who major in Information Systems! 

            Michael has truly exceeded all aspects of being a student leader by continuously showing dedication and effort to his campus.  His lists of accomplishments this month have truly been impressive. He has gone well above and beyond his duties as RHA Webmaster. For these reasons, I take great pride in nominating Michael Goodhart for Executive Board Member of the Month for February.

I Think I Just Caught the Antiques Bug...

There is something about the past that pulls me in.  When I started doing genealogy research in 2006, I was enthralled by the fascinating intersections between family and history.  Now at 32 years of age, I decided to stop by an antiques shop on my own for the first time ever.  Funny enough, the show "Pawn Stars" recently caught my attention in terms of the cool artifacts that people brought in.  Driving back from Providence, R.I. today, I saw the Rhode Island Antiques Mall conveniently off of Interstate 95, and I thought, "Why not stop in?"

When I entered the store, the first thing I noticed was a 1950's style stove-oven boldly colored turquoise and in near-pristine condition.  My narrowed focus on this piece of domestic history then expanded to my peripheral views in the rest of the antiques mall.  Good golly, thousands or perhaps more than a million nick-knacks and pieces of jewelry, furniture, electronics, containers, daguerreotypes and other old photographs, trading cards and sports memorabilia, and even my personal favorite collectible - walking sticks.

It all evoked this feeling that I can best describe as that childhood sense of awe and wonder when coming across a brand new experience - like walking into Disney World, or perhaps in my case, running through the woods as a young kid behind my house in Chesterfield, Virginia and discovering dilapidated Civil War era mounds and remains of old buildings.  They became a sort of playground.  I believe I've found my new playground in antique stores.

On the right is a sweet looking eight-track stereo that just boggled my mind.  These stereos became a thing of the past in the early 1980's when I just a toddler.  But I remember one of our neighbors who used to babysit me had an eight-track stereo in their son's car.  It was an electronic marvel that was rapidly becoming obsolete during the dawn of the cassette tape.  This particular model that I saw at the antiques store was in great shape, though I don't know who would buy it since it didn't come with any eight-track tapes.  Though it looked pretty damn cool and perhaps that's enough for someone to purchase it.

The Rhode Island Antiques Mall has TWO expansive floors, and I was so overwhelmed by the number of items on all of the shelves and in display cases.  I spent a little over an hour in the store.  I usually detest window shopping, but I never felt the need to purchase anything at this place.  I was content to mosey around and simply appreciate all the little pieces of history.  I wanted to know the story behind them - who owned them and what were their lives like?

I left empty-handed.  But I came away with something intangible: a new-found fascination.  I definitely plan on stopping by more antique shops in the future.  I do believe I've caught the antiques bug!  

A New Poem: Silhouette

Last night when my iTunes library played the song "Mary Jane" by Alanis Morissette, I was suddenly overcome by a memory of a woman I used to be with a few summers ago.  I would call her my first love, and that song had become quite significant to me.  It was one I played for her on a road trip that she came to appreciate.  Now it's one of those songs that resonates deeply with me and will always be associated with her.  It is such an experience of awe when a sound, smell, sight, taste, or touch brings us back markedly to a certain time and place.

I haven't written a poem in several years - I used to write them nearly every day, but over time, the mood didn't strike me anymore to do so.  I was quite glad to finally feel that strong desire to put words down on paper again last night.  It's a simple poem, but I hope it is the Muse that sparks that creative fire again.

Silhouette 

The memory enchants my mind

In the early morning hours

Of a warm summer night

Her nude silhouette

Stands before a portable piano

Her delicate fingers play

To the tune of Mary Jane

It became our song

And now it inspires

The image of her body

The beautiful soulful notes

It marinates within me

And settles in for the long haul

Wondrous how a song captures

A moment so vividly

That it brings tears to the eyes

And a wistful desire to revisit

That bittersweet moving portrait

That ghost of the past

The memory enchants my mind

Memories through Music - A Personal Tradition

Memory can be a fickle thing.  But sometimes a certain smell, taste, or sound stops you in your tracks.  It suddenly brings you back to a specific moment in time.  Perhaps you associated that smell to a positive, vivid memory.  Tonight I watched a wonderful video about an elderly man in a nursing home who seemed so disconnected from the world, but then when someone placed headphones over his ears and played a song from "his era," his face lit up and he'd hum along.  The video, to which I've provided a link at the bottom of this post, reminds me how much music is associated with our memories.  Sometimes those memories are best brought back through the pleasant sounds we love. Music just seems to be inherent in our souls - it's easy to remember the lyrics and melody of a song - much easier than it is to recite words from a textbook.

I suppose I realized how important music was to me during my senior year of college when my best friend Marcus and I decided to put together a two-CD compilation of songs that meant something to us during our college years together.  And just this past October, during our ten-year college reunion, Marcus and I created a new nostalgic mix of songs.  It's a beautiful thing because each of the songs represent a shared memory.

At the tail end of my first year as a graduate assistant resident director from 2001-2002 at Capital University - a university with a respected Conservatory of Music - it seemed appropriate to consider how I could best "scrapbook" all of the memories with my first Resident Assistant staff (the Cotterman Crew, as we called ourselves).  In Residence Life, your staff can feel very much like a family, and I generally have very positive memories of that first staff!

I asked our Cotterman Crew to reflect on two questions: "If you could think of any song that would best describe your personality, what would it be and why?" and "From 2001-2002, what song has really stuck out in your mind and why?"  Their responses (including mine) were written into copies of a small pamphlet, and the song choices were recorded to CDs.  Everyone on the staff got copies. It was a way to take a snapshot of an entire year, and when listening to the music, it brings back the emotional landscapes of that year - good and bad.  I still have connections to a couple of my RAs from that year, for which I'm very grateful (maybe they'll remember the photo on the CD, when we all went out for dinner as a staff... and before I started sporting a beard!).

With the exception of only one year, I've continued this tradition with every staff I've supervised.  Two universities later and in my eleventh (!) year as a resident director, I'm about to do this again.  The memoir books have become more intricate and snazzy, and the reflection questions are occasionally changed, but the music is still recorded to CD (and in all likelihood copied to everyone's iPods).  I've kept every memoir book, and I've saved every song in my iTunes library.  Whenever I want to relive memories of a certain year with a special staff (they're all special), I can easily do so.
  
Music really is an expression of the human soul and memory.

"Old Man in Nursing Home Reacts to Hearing Music From His Era"

Re-Living those Radford Days

Although I had been to my alma mater Radford University about five years ago, it has been more than ten years since I visited there with friends.  Physical places hold a lot of memories for each of us, but it is the people we care about who add depth to those memories.  So it was this past Homecoming weekend that brought it all back to life.

My best friend Marcus and I made the five-hour drive on October 13th from Portsmouth, Virginia to Radford.  Around the Charlottesville area, the weather brought heavy fog and rain though our spirits were far from dampered.  We passed a town called Crozet in the heart of the mountains that would always make us laugh years ago traveling back and forth during breaks.  As it happens, we have an inside joke where in our best stereotypical Asian accents we exclaim, "Mountain in Crozet!"  I really can't explain the meaning behind this joke but I break down in hysterics thinking about it.

Radford has changed a lot in the past ten years.  There's the new Hurlburt Student Center nicknamed "The Bonnie" after the former Dean of Students Bonnie Hurlburt.  It's a marvelous facility that frankly makes me a little jealous of the students!  A genuine Starbucks is located there... oh, how I would have spent my meal plan dollars at that location.  The Bonnie is directly in front of Trinkle Hall, where I lived my sophomore and junior years.

Trinkle Hall has been completely renovated, and one of the first things Marcus and I noticed was a wheelchair ramp at the entrance of the building.  He and I pushed hard against the administration to build such a ramp around 1998 but of course we didn't know the ADA laws then which state such accomodations aren't necessary until the building is renovated.  Still, we were pretty happy to see one of our dreams was realized.

Moffett Hall, the second largest residence hall on campus, is presently under renovation.  Behind Moffett, there's a behemoth building under construction for the College of Business.  Several streets have been replaced with grass and plazas.  The new Covington Center, also near Trinkle, features an art gallery and performance hall.  And as one female faculty member put it to me and Marcus, the new university president has been "a womanly touch" to the campus by adding plenty of flowers to the landscaping.

It was also great to see some familiar sights - for example, I often frequented the theatre in Porterfield Hall where many of my friends performed in plays.  As Trinkle Hall primarily housed visual and performing arts students, those students tended to be my friends (and honestly, those who dedicate themselves to the arts tend to be my best friends).  I took a few photos of the theater where a play called "God of Carnage" is presently being put on.



Porterfield Hall theatre, from the back row

View from the stage in Porterfield Hall

Of course, the best part about coming back to Radford was seeing three of my friends who I hadn't seen in what seems like forever.  We had such a wonderful time catching up.  Even though we've stayed in touch on Facebook, seeing each other face-to-face was a vastly cool experience.  We had lunch at Macado's, a staple of the Radford off-campus dining experience.  We trekked around the campus, reliving memories.  Muse Hall, my home my freshman year, unfortunately has been treated unkindly the last few years and definitely needs a facelift.  But we reminisced happily at Trinkle Hall the most; we snuck into the building, violating the guest policy in the process... here I was, an RD, breaking the rules!  But we got to walk to my old room where Marcus, my former roommate, lived.  Though the doors and hallways were in nice new shape, they kept the room numbers the same, which was great.  In the basement, they've converted some of spaces.  The best space downstairs was where Marcus and I had put on a swing dance our sophomore (or was it junior?) year for all of the Trinkle Hall residents.  That was probably our program we were most proud of.  And who doesn't love swing dancing to such great music like the Brian Setzer Orchestra?



Where we had our swing dance years ago...

 

Marcus and I in front of our old room



Angela showing off one of her old rooms!

View of the campus from the top of Muse Hall

There are plenty more photos that I've taken that are on my Facebook profile, so I didn't feel like I needed to post all of them here on this blog post.  But certainly we've got to have a group photo!

Erika, myself, Angela, and Marcus in the Governors' Quad

Visiting Radford again reminded me how much of an impact it had on my life.  I certainly would not be the person I am today if I didn't have such an amazing experience there.  I'm extraordinarily thankful for the friends I made, the leadership skills I developed, and the education I received. 

During our senior year, Marcus and I had put together a two-CD set of music that marked significant memories.  We called them, somewhat unoriginally, "The Final CDs."  Marcus and I vowed for this Homecoming trip to compile another CD of songs that didn't make the cut back then or were new to our experiences in our friendship since graduating from Radford.  So on the drive to and from Radford, we succeeded in making a list.  Music has always seemed to me to be one of the best ways to honor and relive our memories.  And as I write this blog, I've been listening to the songs from the final draft playlist.

So I figure it's poignant to end this blog with a video of the Brian Setzer Orchestra playing one of their cool cat songs "Let's Live It Up."  Because we really did live it up back then, and for a beautiful fall October weekend in 2011, we lived it up again.

 

Ten Years Ago

Ten years ago today, I had just started my first year as a Graduate Assistant Resident Director at Capital University of Columbus, Ohio.  We were in our Residence Life staff meeting, and someone mentioned that a plane had just struck one of the World Trade Center Towers.  When I left the meeting, I went straight back to my apartment in Cotterman Hall and turned on the television where I was transfixed by what I saw.  Peter Jennings, who'll always be my favorite anchorman, was talking about the tragic events of the morning.

I called my mother and asked her if she knew what happened.  She turned on the television too and we watched together for the next hour, discussing it all over the phone as it happened.  Watching each of the Towers fall, seeing black smoke bellow from the Pentagon, and hearing the report of the plane crashing in Pennsylvania were all really haunting to witness. 

After that hour, I was called to assist on campus.  I went to the service on campus with many of the students, staff, and faculty.  I remember a lot of people crying, and the world just seemed like it was in a fog. 

There are three specific memories I recall most vividly on that day:

• It seemed like the first-year students in my residence hall were playing the song "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton in just about every other room as I walked by to check on them.  That song will always be engrained in my soul in association with September 11th.
• The candlelight service that night outside of the Campus Center.  Listening to students speaking into a microphone about their reflections.  Holding that candle in my hands and seeing everyone else doing the same was somehow calming, I suppose.  Small lights to offer some hope.
• Calling my best friend Marcus from my parents' house (just five miles north) in the backyard, I looked up and saw a crystal clear starry night sky.  Marcus was in Virginia, and we just thought about how big - yet small - the world seemed to be that day.  We spoke over the phone with emotion just in awe that no planes would cross that starry night sky.

Today the events of September 11th, 2001 and the people so greatly affected by it are marked in my heart.  Always remember.  Always reflect.

Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles"

BSU BlogFest - Day Four: Community

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. 

RHA E-Board Retreat at Radford

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.

BSU BlogFest - Day One: Learning

This week, I am participating in Bridgewater State University's BlogFest, a five-day blog series focused on a different topic/theme each day.  The blogs are written by BSU students, staff, and faculty.  As a Resident Director here, I'm excited to also contribute my perspective!  BSU BlogFest is one of the featured aspects of Social Media Week, hosted by the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.  Social Media Week aims to initiate conversations via various social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs. For those interested, follow me on Twitter at @mtgoodha (please know I'm still getting the hang of it).

Please check out other bloggers' contributions via the BSU BlogFest web site!

Monday's BlogFest Theme: Learning

We've been offered a prompting question for each theme just to help exercise our brains, and I can easily work with today's prompt:  "What has been a learning experience that has impacted you the most in your life?"

Learning is such a broad concept, but to start this conversation, I think it's important to consider that learning is an individual experience that is affected by many factors such as genetics, the way we're treated as children, personality, teaching and learning styles, and social interactions.  We don't all learn the same way, and "teachers" don't all teach the same way, either.  I put the word teachers in quotes since they could be in or outside of the classroom.  The best form of learning is one that contributes to our personal growth and confidence throughout life.  While learning might be a single "ah-hah" moment, I like to think that it's more about a series of moments that reinforce our growth.

For me, my most impactful series of moments of learning revolve around reading and writing.  Writing is among the abilities where I feel most confident.  As a relatively quiet introvert, writing plays an integral role in my life.  My "teachers" empowered me with (and reinforced) the ability to read and communicate in the written form.  It's a useful skill that helps counterbalance an adequate speaking ability (certainly, I can speak publicly with some confidence, after much life-long practice - but it's not my strength).

Confidence in reading and writing started for me at an early age when my mother nurtured an appreciation of words.  She saw I loved when she read books to me and I'd request it often as a toddler.  She was then purposeful in directing me to read books out loud to her; I enjoyed reading out loud so repetitively that it became fairly annoying!  But, this reinforcement and attention instilled my quickly progressing enthusiasm for vocabulary in the English language.  When you love learning about something, you tend to stick with it.

The Alluring Speak & Spell

Remember the movie E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial?  Well, it's a prime example of how the media can influence what we learn.  There's a significant scene where E.T. uses a Speak & Spell toy to phone home.  Product placement in the movies at its finest.  I was three years old when E.T. came out in the theaters in 1982.  So when I got this toy and used it frequently, it reinforced my love for words - and more importantly, spelling the words correctly.  It's probably not a coincidence that a little later in life, I'd look forward to and thrive in annual spelling bees in school, eventually making it to the regional levels in the eighth grade.  Thirsting for re-living the Speak & Spell experience?

I appreciated it when teachers guided me in the right direction, too. Even in college. I distinctly remember when Dr. Tod Burke, a professor of criminal justice at Radford University where I received my undergraduate education, made it a point in class to everyone on how to properly spell judgment, writing it on the chalkboard. I was among many in the class who spelled it "judgement," but you better believe I remembered the correct spelling after that.

My second grade teacher made a big impact in my development, too.  I was learning that it was fun to put words together to create short stories.  I think it was Mrs. Capehart who saw how much I enjoyed writing.  She encouraged me to keep writing and then would occasionally send me to a kindergarten class to read my stories out loud to my slightly younger peers.  I'm so impressed by her creative means of inspiring me in this way.  This was a process that trended throughout my life, where I'd enjoy writing, then appreciate the positive (and critical) feedback from teachers, family, and friends.  English classes, especially ones that focused on creative writing, were consistently among my favorites.

We'll return now to my mother, who assisted in expanding my grasp of the written language by taking the time to review my papers that I'd have to do for classes.  She'd point out how I could re-word a sentence or where I needed to correct a grammatical mistake.  I yearned to know how to properly arrange sentences, where to place a comma, when not to use a semi-colon, etc.  I guarantee I will have re-read this blog posting several times to ensure it's as perfect as I can make it (no guarantee that it is perfect, though).

I firmly believe all of this learning -- and constant practice in writing on a daily basis -- has been exceptionally valuable for me.  Writing a final case study in graduate school, putting together a quality cover letter for a job, and maintaining two blogs are all examples of... well... a lesson learned.

Revisiting the Fork in the Road

Today I attended an impressive leadership retreat (or what I like to think of as an advance - not a retreat) for student leaders involved in the Student Government Association, Program Committee, and the Residence Hall Association (RHA) all of Bridgewater State University.  The speaker for the advance was Michael Miller.  It was the second time I've seen him speak (yell?), and he is an amazing and engaging speaker.  He is also probably the loudest and edgiest I know, but he drives home great points - and tells powerful stories.

I was at the advance because of my co-advisor role in RHA, an organization that transformed me when I was in college at Radford University in Virginia over ten years ago.  Michael Miller made many memorable statements, but one that struck me was his question, "What do you WANT in life, and what are you doing to get there?"  It sounds like an easy question, but it certainly is not.  It's practically an existential one, and that's what makes it so important.

As I pondered how I'd answer that question, I initially focused on the present time.  Right now, my journey is toward changing my career path to work in a college or university registrar's office.  Many people consider the thought of that career as boring, but I strongly disagree.  A registrar's office serves as the steward of all students' records and plays a crucial role in coordinating the academic class catalog and schedule.  It is truly the heart beat of any higher education system.  I've started taking steps to make this my new career by attending a regional registrars' conference, but I have stalled out in updating my resume and reinventing myself.  Time to stop stalling and make it happen.

The second thing I've reflected upon from that question posed by Michael Miller is - what did I want in the past, and what steps did I take to get there?  Well, my role in RHA as a college student largely influenced my decision to apply to graduate school in student affairs.  Ultimately, I ended up at The Ohio State University, and I will always parade my pride in my graduate education at such an incredible unparalleled institution.

There are many students I currently know who are interested in a career in student affairs, and they have graduate schools on their mind.  Part of the application process includes writing a personal statement on why you want to be a part of that program and the field of student affairs.  The personal statement is meant to describe the essence of what you want in life and what steps you're taking to get there.

Well - I pulled up my old personal statement for when I applied to OSU and was pretty impressed by both my naivety but also my maturity and decisive attitude.  So - I thought I'd share my personal statement with you.  It reminds me of why I chose to enter the field of student affairs.  And now it seems I'm revisiting the fork in the road: what do I want to do in student affairs?  The answer, it now seems, is the registrar's office.

On that note, I leave you with my personal statement written almost exactly ten years ago.  I stand by the same principles and governing values that I had at that time, which I think is remarkably positive.

Statement of Intent

The impact an individual can have on society is tremendous. Over an entire lifetime, one individual can change so much, inspire so many people, and create new realities with one unique vision. Taking the time to work with one individual and emphasize his or her potential can make a world of difference. I am a firm believer in individualism, and this belief developed into full form while attending college.

The transformation began my sophomore year when I received the invitation to serve as vice president of my residence hall council. It was a training ground to develop a sense of teamwork, community service, and commitment. I took the initiative to create a web site to expand our hall council’s reach. It has been my belief that web sites are especially important in reaching out to college students. After developing the web site, the opportunity arose to get involved campus-wide by designing a web site for the Residence Hall Association (RHA). My appointed position as web master gave me the opportunity to speak up at weekly campus meetings. As a shy individual, I previously felt my opinion was meaningless and my ability to make changes was impotent. However, I was becoming comfortable stepping out into the spotlight, and I believed I had the potential to make a difference.

The defining moment arrived when I sought out to become the Vice President of Policies and Procedures for RHA. I felt the RHA was in need of positive energy and an impassioned renewal. I spent several weeks working on a bid for the position, as well as a speech in which I wanted to show my commitment to the organization and the students within it. An overwhelming majority of the student representatives from the hall councils chose to vote me into the position. It was an emotional boundary that I crossed. At that moment, I became aware of my purpose in life. I knew I was doing something right. My dedication to the students was fully materialized. I wanted to work with college students and help inspire them to realize their own potential to make a difference.

The individual is my primary interest. I want to actively participate in the process of student development. Currently, I spend the majority of my time developing and implementing surveys to measure the opinions of the on-campus students regarding RHA. Surveys can accomplish two tasks: a) discover how an individual views and is affected by an organization and b) demonstrate how the organization can change to better the individual and itself. In the hustle and bustle of today’s fast-paced world, it must not be forgotten that the organization and the individual are closely tied together. There are too many individuals that feel their significance in an organization is minimal, while the fact is, any individual has the potential to change the organization! All it takes is some inspiration, ambition, and a focused effort to make that change.

I have also been intrigued by the noteworthy impact that personality and emotional development have on the lives of individuals. College students are at a stage of their lives when they are still discovering themselves. How they handle college life emotionally and how their personalities develop are both crucial to the way they live their lives beyond college. I believe the primary focus of student affairs is to promote the overall development of college students, and I personally would seek to contribute to the success of college students with a particular concern for their emotional and identity development.

A graduate school education would serve as my guide to explore the possible paths I could take in student affairs. My commitment to student affairs has already been realized; I just need to build on that. Starting in the Fall Quarter of 2001, I believe The Ohio State University and its program in Higher Education and Student Affairs, with an organization and student development emphasis, would offer exactly what I need to pursue a future career in student affairs. I am aware that Dr. Robert Rodgers has an interest in personality and Jungian psychology. I also understand that Dr. Susan Jones is involved with identity development research. I also am very enthusiastic regarding the Study Abroad program for England. The opportunity to get a first-hand experience working in student affairs in another culture is a thrilling prospect to me. Furthermore, coming from a small university, I would be delighted to get the “big university” experience and education at The Ohio State University. I believe all of what The Ohio State University has to offer would benefit myself and in effect, future student populations to come.