Volunteer Experience

Volunteerism wasn’t a really big part of my life during my sophomore year. I did the bare minimum though of at least 30 hours. That’s not at all bad for me to say but I could of definitely did more. Being a leader means putting time and effort into others. I could only do so much though because I was busy with getting my grades and classes in good shape. As a leader I always strive for better and I expect that I do better. This year was my earnestly worst time to volunteer. Yet, what I could do did make a difference none the less. For example, Sarah Cortez told me of all the benefits I would be doing for the community of Flint if I joined their F.A.C.T.S Team in the spring and I did! It was really cool. My leader was Jazmin from LAS and she did a great job at leading. What we did was we raked leaves and we also picked up a huge amount of trash. I was in shock on the state of Flint. I never have been in Flint till then and I assumed people exaggerated the living conditions. I know they over do the amount of deaths but honestly the amount of houses in shambles was not at all. I did at least 10 ish hours of service work that day. I don’t know if this counts but I also donated plasma every Tuesday and Thursday for the entire year. I don’t count it because I got paid but also it is volunteerism that made me do it because someone would benefit from my donation. I participated in several volunteer programs through the Program Board such as ushering for the Chris Fleming presentation on Ghost Hunting. I was also volunteering all day from 9am-5pm on picking up trash on Earth Day. Like it was not even an event I just wanted to pick up the trash because I love my Earth. It was good work and honest. I did serve I suppose another 30 hours toward getting my OA lodge all set for the year. Oh my God, I didn’t do bare minimum! I forgot about the OA events that I help put on! I am so happy. What I am talking about is I spent a total of 100+ as the OA service chair for Elangomating. I can’t believe I forgot. That is so great.

Alright, so the big take away is that I don’t care for number of hours of volunteering because I volunteer for the people that benefit from me. I don’t count the hours by the hour because what i do I do it out of kindness and I really don’t like it at all when I am required. It’s a basic human instinct to help others and I find it enjoyable. So I guess I can say that Leadership isn’t always about the work you put in BUT the impact that you will have on others. It all depends on how you see yourself and what you do as a person that makes the difference.

Residential Experience

You know what is scary? Being alone. Being unable to be with familiar faces everyday. Having to reestablish who you are to your surrounding environment. It really does suck. It makes you feel closed off and having the fears you’re missing out with old friends. This year was a huge 180 degree turn of what I was expecting. My friends I knew from Freshman year were now in a different hall, they moved out and got an apartment, they just got busy and less likely to hangout. It was frightening to me. I had a lot of weight on my shoulders that finally made me succumb to some unexplainable feelings. Under these terms they are social anxiety, depression, anxious feelings, and confusion. I never felt these before until this year at full impact. I was now in between a rock and a hard place. There was though hope and a lot of untapped potential. It started off with being contacted by CMU cheerleader L.J Holmes. L.J was my roommate for my sophomore year in Emmons Hall and he said that he couldn’t wait to meet me. You see, I was surrounded by unfamiliar faces waiting to meet me and I was very skeptical because I wasn’t ready for people to enter into my life and meet me. LJ introduced me on my first day to Luke Hartsuff a big fan of CMU football team and Riley Halligan an equipment manager to CMU football team. I was surrounded by people that really gave me hope and a lot of it. Not only that but I met Ben Rutleg who is extremely reliable at being friendly and open to conversations. I had met my neighbors which were Mylia, Rachael, Sam, and Jordan.  I had opportunity to meet new people. Now you expect it was easy but I still suffered from all these conflicting interests that made me on my days terrible. I branched out though and got supportive help. I tried my best to see old friends and tried my best to not feel these feelings of wishing I could spend more time with them. It was really difficult and it was not at all fun. Yet, there was still reasons to keep a smile and try getting better because I love my friends and family. To see them hurt more than me would be devastating. Peeling back layers of me was a huge new experience. I wasn’t doing okay and I had to really tackle the situation. It got better though because of a lot of internal thinking and supportive friends I have made. My supportive friends included old high school friends, college friends, family, and myself. They gave me more of a trusting feeling that i never felt. I always felt afraid to make mistakes with them or feel like I was below. They made me feel better about myself. In all, I am still learning on how to tackle this, but got better.

The take away from this was that my residential experience was not all what I expected. Yet, it opened me up to relieving the pressures I had on myself. Residential experience isn’t always about the fun and enjoyment I had but also the things I learn. Of course I had fun with my new friends. Of course I won’t see them as much, but it gave me hope that being the travelling roommate that I am is really not that bad. I develop more friends, I hear more stories, and I really get a chance to network. I am not at all feeling bad for blogging this as a residential experience because it’s the truth and genuine. I feel so alive now I feel okay being who I am for the better. I got this and I am looking forward to next year.

 

Mentoring

Dear Shelby Arnold,

Being your mentor was a great honor. Yet, it was an AMAZING experience to meet you. I know I tell you all the time what you mean to me and how this helps me but I will say it again. Being a mentor isn’t honestly a job it’s a role I took upon myself. Especially when it came to being your mentor I chose you. It wasn’t because of your grades or your past. It was what you needed. You asked for a leader to be there for you and help when ever possible. You asked for someone that can be friendly and kind. You asked for someone that could care about you. I believed that I could deliver all that and more. When it came to mentoring there wasn’t a lot to mentor honestly. You were on TOP OF THE GAME. It was impressive! I assumed I would need to help more than I had. Little did I know it was because you were self reliant and a straight forward person. There was never a time where you needed me as a mentor because you had it in yourself. This reflects back to if I was doing my job correctly. I was! A mentor in the LI isn’t suppose to be a hovering figure they don’t see you as a baby with no clear goals or ideas. They see you equally as a leader. We are there in case you struggle because that is what everyone is for. We want nothing but the best for you. Does this mean I am off my guard? Heck no! I want to be involved still in your life and continue to text or call or come over because I love you as a person. There was no daily chore for me. I gave you all the space you needed and I learned exactly what to ask you or talk to you about. You were always kind and caring and always expressed interesting in talking and telling me what’s up in your life. I feel like mentoring has this big idea to it that you need to teach all the skills but I didn’t because you had a knack at this. This is why the LI recognized you to be apart of the program because you took it upon yourself to be self sufficient and reliable. You never said no or help without trying first. You always took the steps without second thoughts. I find that admirable. Little do you know but I learned from you. It may be a cliché thing to say but it really isn’t because it’s a truth that all teachers like yourself will learn. You will never stop being an incredible person Shelby I know it. The take away from my experience mentoring is that you learn to adapt and you how to form your leadership skills to another persons and that way it’s not overbearing. I learned that people like you exist in the world and it gives me hope that I may see more. No body else though will ever compare to you and your self. Congrats on completing your first year of college. I hope sophomore year is great and continue being awesome! 

RSO Campus Grow

Planting is perhaps the most relaxing thing besides taking a nap. I found a club on campus ALL by myself and I couldn’t be happier. Campus Grow is one of the reasons why we have beautiful garden areas around campus. They are the reason why we have a spice garden patch on campus. I was highly involved during the Fall semester because they had met every week on Mondays. However, in the spring they had stopped meeting every week and sparsely did through February to April. It was so bad I had to stop going. I met people though and learned how to dry plants. I received a lot of helpful tips on how to grow my bulb plants that would sprout into these big beautiful plants. I was highly involved in growing plants in my dorm room. I was involved as much as the program had offered. We learned how to grow microgreens and the benefits from different types of plants for medical reasons to edible reasons. I got involved because the group shared my same passion for growing plants and conserving the trees. I was happy with my involvement in the group. Next year I see myself coming back and trying to get a position chair. I really want to because I want to make sure we have meetings every week and have more to talk about and give membership a chance to grow itself! 

RSO Program Board

Music, Movies, Comedians, AND COOL Sweatshirts? Count me in! I had a blast being a part of the CMU Program Board as a member. I would show up when I can so that I could have the most fun possible. Of course, I could not be involved a ton because of commitments to my grades and classes. Yet, everytime I was there the staff would know my name and say great things about me. I guess they really cared about their members. One of the big things I was involved in WAS being involved in the events that CMU program board had put on. I would occasionally go see a movie like Spider-Man and Black Panther and I would help out with events like the ghost event with Chris Fleming. I knew that my semesters needed excitement and I had to be super involved in events. It started off seeing the people that took down Pablo Escobar. I had won a free meet and greet with the men who took down a coke kingpin. They were leaders that went through a lot to help the people of Colombia. I got their signatures and shook hands with them and said my thanks. I went to Papa’s pumpkin farm with Program Board and ate RAW corn. IT WAS SOOO GREAT! Then I went to another Program Board event with Chris Fleming as the guest speaker. I won a free meet and greet with Chris and I got his signature, shook hands, and a picture too. I got to go on a ghost tour with him too. Sadly, no ghosts could be seen or barely heard. CMU is safe. Then, my final program board that I got involved in was winning tickets to see Jesse McCartney. It took me a lot of searching to find the items to get the tickets and it took me a while to find the president of Program Board to get free tickets from her. Overall, I won 4 tickets and took 3 of my good friends. Not only that but I got to meet Jesse and shake his hand. I got his signature on a CD album. It was really cool! I tried my best to be a part of the team as an E-Board member BUT I was overqualified! I had a lot of fun in this group and I couldn’t ask for more.

Lead Team

Flash back to the start of my sophomore year! I had no clue what Lead Team I was on until a week before the event. It was in fact the new Lead Team for the beginning of the year picnic for everyone. It was a Hawaiian theme event. I did not at all to put in any input because the lead chair people already put it together in the summer. It was honestly a relief though because I could count on the lead chairs. I guess what I could talk about is how I saw old faces and the LAS seniors. It was great seeing everyone for the first time since school started. Fortunately, I met Shelby Arnold my mentee at this event and I got to learn more about her. There isn’t a big take away that I can honestly say but I guess I can say is that I could count on the leaders and still be as involved. I did help carry boxes and get the pizza out. It was a cool event.  \

COM 461L

Dwight’s Speech: BLOOD ALONE MOVES THE WHEELS OF HISTORY! [pause] Have you ever asked yourselves in an hour of meditation – which everyone finds during the day – how long we have been striving for greatness? [bangs fist] Not only the years we’ve been at war – the war of work – but from the moment as a child, when we realize the world could be conquered. It has been a lifetime struggle [bangs fists again] a never-ending fight, I say to you [bangs again] and you will understand that it is a privilege to fight. WE ARE WARRIORS! [applause] Salesmen of north-eastern Pennsylvania, I ask you once more rise and be worthy of this historical hour. [even bigger applause as Dwight laughs maniacally] No revolution is worth anything unless it can defend itself. Some people will tell you salesman is a bad word. They’ll conjure up images of used car dealers, and door to door charlatans. This is our duty to change their perception. I say, salesmen and women of the world… unite. We must never acquiesce, for it is together… TOGETHER THAT WE PREVAIL. WE MUST NEVER CEDE CONTROL OF THE MOTHERLAND… Audience: …FOR IT IS TOGETHER THAT WE PREVAIL! [thunderous applause]

Exactly why did I posted a speech? That’s because I had to give a presentation about qualitative communication through effective public speaking. Com 461L was a leadership class about Communication. It was honestly a really chill and relaxing class. I had Elizabeth Carlson for a teacher and let me tell you that she knew how to be enthusiastic in the most appropriate times. It was really good of her because it kept the class entertaining and I did not at all dare to sleep during her class. It was that good that I would listen to her and consider what she talked about. I had no idea there were many different types of ways to communicate as a leader. It was bizarre because I assumed you had to be so spontaneous and so original. Remembering Dan Gaken or even Jesi Ekonen talk to us as a class they were always vocal and had this specific approach to us as a class. It turns out they were only channeling one kind of effective communication style. There is so much to learn about communication that it’s unfortunate I had to only take one class for this. I felt really good during my exams but what the kicker was is that my grades looked bad. She told me that I was on track to getting an A-. I was in disbelief because the beginning of the semester looked terrible to me but it got better. I was always showing up taking some notes and engaging in all talks with my fellow classmates. It was really cool.

What I could take away from this class is that I don’t have one specific style of formally communicating. In fact, I could talk informally as much as I want to. The trick is when is the appropriate time to do so. I feel like I could also take from this class was my presentations that I gave to the class were not at all bad as I used to speak. I wasn’t swaying or looking bewildered. I did have tough times but I would always keep on track. It was awesome and I can’t wait for Junior year and effectively use these new found skills in my classes. 

PSC 105L

Never is there a time that I don’t ever think of my rights as a citizen of the United States. I am always exercising my rights as a free person of this country. I feel like if I gave up my rights for security I will not have either. These words were spoken by Ben Franklin but ultimately they were quoted by my government professor Thomas Stewart. Immediately, in the first week of class he got to know us personally. He asked me what I wanted to be and I said an Environmentalist. He said that why aren’t I already and I was confused. Apparently, you don’t need a special title or influence to say you are an environmentalist. Therefore, I can officially say that I am an environmentalist who advocates for the healthy rules and regulations that will govern the environment and I will support and find support to conserve natural resources and preserve habitats. You could say that I learned a lot from this class and it would not be at all wrong to say. Last time I took a class for U.S government was 10th grade year and I failed the A.P Test but I passed the class. Let me tell you that the A.P test is way harder than the government college classes you hear about. That was a relief to know that I was in good hands with this professor I specifically chose this class over SOC221 because I love government work. This class really was great and professor Stewart was grander. I had a tough time taking notes but as a matter of fact when it came to the exams there was amazement when I could answer the questions with out a lot of studying and difficult. I suppose it’s because we really discussed on key legal cases and rules that it was ingrained in my brain. I am really happy with the results for I passed the class with probably the highest remarks I ever received in college so far. I went in not really sure if I could pass because that AP test really put fear in my gut but I managed and got through it all. I think that was an important lesson to learn is that I have nothing to fear except fear itself. I am fortunate for being his last class he ever taught and I was not at all in the least bit dissatisfied with any part of it.

What I could take away from this is that leadership is tough but there are reasons why its tough in government because of the hard work and dedication to shape it to what it is right now. I find that really cool that leadership at the government level isn’t clean cut but a working progress like myself. I am so happy with this result and I look forward to my career field in environmental studies. 

PHL 118L

Hakuna Matata is a wonderful phrase because it means, “No worries, for the rest of your days.” Yet, some may argue that there will be worries here and there for the rest of your life. Therefore, this phrase is philosophical and debatable. In my PHL 118L this was the case in which discussed moral problem that might argue against this. My professor was none other than Gary Fuller who would always engage our class in learning some of life’s problems. This class was Mondays and Wednesday and I would always sit in the same place every day. I would occasionally visit with Logan Palm and Ashleigh Varney to ask how they were and what is up with them. The class wasn’t at all terrible and I didn’t spare a lot of time catching up because I was always on task. Almost every reading response came with a quiz and they were SUPER easy. It was basically a brief answer on what we had learn. I found it pretty fun and only difficult the one time that the question didn’t pertain to what we learn but the college the person attended when the moral problem arose. I was happy for the most part, my project was with Madison Mariles in which we discussed a topic of our own choice which was school and their problem with capping their numbers. Gary Fuller isn’t actually that bad of guy at all. People would often remark his quirks but honestly his quirks were barely noticeable and the exaggerations were SO bad. Professor Fuller perhaps was the most down to Earth guy you could meet and he was always willing to be a fun dude. He reminded me so much of Horace Slughorn in the Harry Potter books because he was so involved with his students lives and made sure to learn from them too. Never was there a time I felt threatened by speaking my ideas for and against certain philosophical ideals. I want to recognize the fact that when Gary Fuller present ideas he wasn’t leaning one way or another. He was a good balancer on his ideas. I was happy when he liked my research paper on the God complex because I put time and effort to make it interesting. At the end of the semester he invited us to his house for a Christmas party. It was awesome

The big takeaway was that life isn’t black and white in fact it’s gray. Yet, it’s exciting and full of possibilities. People will be for and against you but leaders often have to face the uncertainity and ridicule. I found his class enjoyable and nothing but a peaceful environment where I had no worries for the rest of the semester.

HDF 100L

I never really thought about what oppression really meant before this class at Central Michigan University. I thought it meant that you were oppressed by how to act in society. Well, that is a partial answer to that. In the Fall, I took the class Oppression: Roots & Impact as an online class to further my leadership education. It hit me big time when I learned oppression meant you were look down upon and unable to help it because you are what you were born as. I learned that this impacts the majority of African-Americans because they can’t help themselves when they are looked down upon by the content of their skin. It doesn’t stop there because it is the physical and permanent parts of a person that can be oppressed. My professor was David Brown and it was his first time teaching it. I mean I assumed he knew what he was doing and he sure fooled me! He said that this was a working progress for him on the account that they reimagined this class as an online course. There was a lot of “bugs” to fix and a good handful of assignments that had to be reviewed over and over. I thought I was going to have a heart attack at times while in the class! I pictured how difficult it was for him and the rest of the class. Yet, David Brown was always on top of things and making sure to always answer my frantic calls. He said he was grateful I was always eager to call and ask questions. In my mind, I was definitely worried about my grades and how well I can do on my assignments. I had two exams in the class and I was thinking I was going to fail them. It was however untrue. I passed them with high remarks. I even completed all my assignments.

The big takeaway from this class wasn’t the point that I passed, but I learned how to go with the flow and not stop in my tracks. I had a lot riding during the Fall and I couldn’t miss a beat. Perhaps the bigger picture was that I learned how race was unrealistic and that no race was better than someone elses. I learned how oppression can be a real struggle. I found out that I am not oppressed but that doesn’t mean I stop there. In fact, I recognize the differences that I share with others on their physical appearances. I appreciate they are themselves and that they strive for a better tomorrow.