Maybe it was feel of it, or how the illuminating safety-green color reflected off of me, but from the moment I took out that polo from the LLBean backpack, I knew I had finally made it on a team I wanted so much to be a part of since my orientation. Yes, being on the New Student Orientation Team has its wonderful benefits: a scholarship, free housing, and meal plan, JWU swag, a tassel at graduation, but the things that I have experienced on this adventure far outweigh the value of those material items, I want to be a veteran for OTEAM 2017 because I would like to teach and pass on these experiences that have helped me become a better person to the future Orientation Team. As a veteran, it is all about their key attributes, what they need to improve, and how their mentor, or past veterans, demonstrated what it was like to be a veteran. A veteran should be composed of a brain, a heart, and a strong pair of legs because there is more walking than one could ever imagine.
Mentally, I believe a veteran should have the ability to communicate efficiently, show perseverance, and demonstrate good leadership skills. During the spring orientation training, I signed a piece of paper saying I would follow the 24- hour rule of communication 1 always strived to apply this rule during orientation, but have also brought it outside of work into my personal life. Learning how to communicate efficiently was initially difficult for me, but after a summer of using it, I am able to get my points across in a more effective way I have used communication this summer to work out differences between my partner and me, talk about my career plans with the Dean of Hospitality, discuss my personal experience at JWU with my first-year students, and strengthen my relationships with my family. Not only do I see a complete change in how I act around my family, but my family sees it and that has made all the difference.
Showing perseverance is something that has become second nature to me after some of the struggles I have gone through to get where I am today. As we on OTEAM would say perseverance is also known as, “grit“. I demonstrated perseverance this summer when I started my day before the sun rose, consistently showing my students that I was always at 110%, and even when I had to two sessions back to back without showing any inkling that I was ready to fall over. Lastly, a veteran should have good leadership skills Leadership is a trait that I believe all Orientation Team members should have regardless of their position I demonstrated leadership abilities by balancing responsibilities with my partner to reach an agreement, by guiding the students on my team, and stepping up to take on other responsibilities when the time came.
One of the bigger tasks that I took on was creating the closing videos and the banquet video, I feel confident that I have shown my ability to be a stronger leader, but always look for opportunities to improve my skills, Occasionally I do not know when close my mouth and let others take the lead. That was something I really had to work on before I could be a part of OTEAM 2016. After working hard to address that concern, I made it My strong desire to be an effective leader can sometimes be overbearing. However, my 2016 OTEAM experience gave me the opportunity to create a balance between individual leadership and the needs of other team members. This summer gave me the ability to learn to take a step back and let others take the wheel while continuing to show leadership. In the few instances when I when I found myself becoming too overbearing, my partner was kind enough to give me constructive feedback, and I would fix it for the next session.
Being a veteran on OTEAM means being a mentor that allows new members to learn for themselves to determine if they have leadership qualities and guiding them through their individual paths to improve their own abilities. I am ready for exactly that sort of responsibility. The mentors this past year, to me, were great, There were energetic, positive, always on top of everything, and truly showed what being on OTEAM was all about. Their dedication and endurance with the team is one of the reason I decided to apply for a veteran position. My mentor especially, did an amazing job when it came to giving us guidance and preparing us for anything before OTEAM had really begun. The one thing that I wish all of them had done was be more personal. Yes, they are there to help us along the way, but I wished I had gotten more of a chance to connect with them.
When it came to the first time meeting the veterans, I first saw them as more of a teacher than as a friend. It was not until the end of summer that I finally saw them as a friend If I am to become a veteran of OTEAM 2017, I want OTEAM to see me as someone that will help guide them, but also as someone that they come to the outside of OTEAM. It is the end of the summer and all I can do now is reflect on the incredible journey I have completed After my reflection, I know I want to be a veteran on OTEAM 2017. This is because I believe I demonstrate the key attributes a veteran should have, I continue to improve on my skills every day, and the veterans of OTEAM 2016 have given me the knowledge I need to be successful. OTEAM has changed me in many ways for the better, I now wait to pass on what I have gained to the future OTEAM.
