Over the course of the past year I documented what happened every
day and posted it to Facebook. Often
with a picture of myself, but more often of the activity I did that day. Now, 365+7 days later, I am back, doing
something just a little different. Rather
than posting a picture, or my daily schedule, I will instead be posting a “Hero
of the Week.” Every Sunday I will post something about someone who inspired,
encouraged, or just helped me get through that particular week. Sometimes, it might be a group of people
(like this week), sometimes it might be someone I know personally, or it might
be someone fictional, or some historic figure.
On that note, sometimes it will be written, sometimes it will be a
video, sometimes it will be a picture, or sometimes it will be a combination of
those. I’m leaving this task open ended,
and I’m very excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.
So, Why do you ask? Well, when I realized the final days of
my 365 days were approaching, I started asking around with suggestions as to
what I should do. In due credit, this
idea was in fact, my mom’s, but I wasn’t convinced until Ramsey reminded me of
a video I had shown him (and tried to apply to my life), over a year ago. I was inspired by a TED Talk called "Leading with Lollipops" by Drew Dudley.
You should watch it. But in case you’re too lazy, it basically tells you that
you should let the people know who have changed your life for the better. This was also equated to “The Butterfly
Effect” and “Paying it Forward,” when I was taking about it with my brother. So call it what you will, but it’s what I will
be doing, and if you care to join me, or if you acknowledge a “Lollipop Moment”
in your life, than I encourage you to share your story.
So, here it is…the moment you’ve all been waiting for!
My first Hero of the Week is my Res. Life Learning Community
Staff. This phenomenal group of 8 RA’s and PA’s (not including myself), and the
RLC (AKA, the Resident Life Coordinator-My Boss), are the only reason I was able to endure this past
week. With their constant encouragement,
humor, and brilliant ideas, I can honestly say that the little family we’ve
started to create is what kept me going when everything started going wrong.
Some background:
This week was full of 18 hour work days. Waking up at 6 AM, and in training from 8 AM
to 10 PM, after which we had to do all of our Bulletin Boards, Door
Decorations, and Room Inventories, parts of this week were just awful. There were so many instances when I thought I
should just give up…having an ear infection the first few days, making it so
that I couldn’t hear properly, certainly didn’t help. And neither did not having the time to talk
to my parents, or clean my room, or do my laundry, or in one really pathetic
moment while talking to Liz, I didn't even “have time for tears.”
Fortunately, I am on the downhill of all the hectic-ness,
and have actually been able to start hanging out with the residents in my
hall. I have caught up on my sleep, my
ear infection is gone, and I am feeling better.
The work is still hard, but fortunately, the really awful parts from the
beginning of the week are now only a distant memory.
I am excited for O-Week and for the year to begin. And I have my LC Staff thank for that:
From sharing a room with Hannah that first night, to daily
inspirational quotes from Brandon, to going to the bathroom with Krysten and
missing our bus to Heritage Manor, to Casey and Nate checking in on me and
helping me with simple things, like plugging in my phone when I was just tired
and feeling pathetic, to venting with Sam, to working late into the night with
Caleb, and to the smiles Kyle and Kim were always able to offer, this group of extraordinary
people has changed my life.
Each of these individuals has taught me something unique
this week. But more than that, they
taught me how to work through a tough situation, and that there is more than
what meets the eye. As much as we may
all try, (not) judging others is a battle we face every day, and it is because
of this group of people that I was reminded that people can surprise you, and
that you should let them. One of the Core Values of Michigan Tech is “Community,” and while I’ve always strived for
that, my Res Life Staff proved to me this week that every person is different,
but every person is also the same.
My LC Staff was my backbone this week, and without
them, I don’t know if I would have been able to handle the intense training. I never could have done it alone, but more than
that, with each act I witnessed from one these individuals, I was learning how to
be a good person. They showed me what it takes to be a good PA, and what it
takes to have the tenacity to overcome obstacles.
And for that, I am grateful.
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