A little over a year ago, I left my “covid institution” and transitioned into a role that allowed me to get back to the things that excited me about higher education. I was able to learn and flex new skills, I was shaping the student experience through systems and policies, and I generally felt that my contributions were valued and creating a positive impact for others. At the time, I thought this change would reinvigorate my excitement for the work, but I quickly realized that something was still missing but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was.
Around the time I had this realization, I stumbled upon some blog posts on social media that caught my eye because of the cool-looking caricature each author was sporting in their posts. At first glance, I thought some of these authors looked a bit familiar, but my attention quickly shifted once I saw the topics being discussed as they were ones that I wish we had spent more time talking about in our day-to-day work in Residence Life. I was intrigued! After reading a few submissions, I noticed that not only one, but two of the authors were people that I knew in my personal life. What are the odds? Soon after, both friends had received text messages from me on what this was and how I could sign up.
I learned that Roompact had given my friends a platform to blog about Residence Life topics on a monthly basis (in addition to those cool caricatures!) and I decided that this was something I wanted to do as well. Fast forward to today, I’ve just finished my year as a Roompact Blogger and I am all the happier for it. Blogging was the thing I didn’t know I needed. It was a creative outlet, it gave me access to a different part of my brain, it gave me a sense of accomplishment, and it was fun! Below I share a little bit more about how blogging brightened my year and to those of you who might be feeling “lost in the sauce” at work, blogging might help you like it did me!
Reason 1: A Break from the Monotony
It’s safe to say we write a fair bit in Residence Life. Usually, the writing is the professional “Dear So and So,” the technical “On this day at this time,” or the casual, “Hey Team! Just letting you know…”. While different in nature, a lot of the writing we do can quickly feel repetitive and a means to an end (likely because someone has not read or not understood our carefully crafted message).
As a blogger, I found such a joy in being able to craft snazzier subjects lines and topics that one would consider “saucy.” I didn’t have to worry about politics or the person on the other end of the screen. I could write and express myself as me. Blogging let me write about what I wanted and how I wanted, which allowed me access to a part of my brain that Residence Life often does not require (at least on my level in administration). One of my favorite topics to blog about was the future of the RA position. To have the freedom to imagine something with no consideration for “this is how we’ve always done it,” or “we don’t have the money for that,” was refreshing to say the least.
Reason 2: Addressing That Question Everyone Has (Or Should Have)
Over the years, I have noticed a separation in what we talk or learn about when the students aren’t on campus (in trainings, conferences, graduate programs) versus when we are truly immersed in the work. It usually feels like there is no time to be developmental, curious, or critical of our practices when there is always a deadline we need to meet, a person we have to appease, or a situation we have to keep from escalating.
As a blogger, I had a field day being able to lean into our roots of being a “scholar-practitioner.” Be it best practices on supervision and feedback, tips and tricks on finding work-life balance (links), or how to prepare yourself to transition to off-campus living, I thoroughly enjoyed being able to offer perspectives, advice, and lessons learned on things that we all go through…but for some reason do not talk about.
Reason 3: Being on A Team of Creators
Let me be the first to say, creative writing is actually kind of hard. You have to regularly generate new topics to engage readers, you have a deadline that won’t change just because “life is lifing,” and sometimes, something you wrote one day just hits different when someone else reads it (or you when you come back to it later). Part of why I think blogging can be fun is because there exists a bit of a challenge to stay fresh and on top of your game as opposed to what is expected of us in emails and other written communication at work.
As a blogger, I was a part of a team with 3 other individuals in the field who also wanted to embark on this creative writing journey with Roompact. We had regular meetings where we could workshop our ideas and we were encouraged to review each other’s drafts to provide feedback, ideas, and support. Being in this creative space alongside others was very fun as sometimes the idea you or someone else came prepared to talk about in the meeting shifted once others shared their thoughts and opinions. When the writing got hard, these folks were able to inspire or encourage one another which was much needed during busy seasons such as move-in, graduation, etc. While our blog entries ultimately fell on us to complete, serving on a team that you could touch base with, connect with, and brainstorm with made the challenge not so challenging!
Reason 4: Having Finished Work
Finished work is sometimes hard to come by in our line of work. Students sometimes choose to move out instead of powering through and working through their issues. Sometimes the funding is tight or goes away. Or sometimes priorities change and the project no longer holds merit. These are just a few common examples in which, despite our best efforts, we don’t always see or feel a sense of completion or accomplishment in our work.
As a blogger, I valued the simplicity of a cyclical process: brainstorming, writing, editing, submitting. It ironically reminded me of the days when I worked the fast-food window where each transaction involved taking the order and the money and doing that over and over until it was time to go home; nothing left unfinished. Of course, taking someone’s food order or writing a blog may not be as involved as what we are asked to do in Residence Life, but the satisfaction from seeing something through from start to finish was a welcomed addition at times when work was full of complex, ever-evolving issues that had no end in sight. Blogging was something I could count on.
Closing
For any of you who might be feeling stuck, unmotivated, or unchallenged in your work environment, consider engaging in something that activates your creativity! Sometimes what pays the bills only fulfills so much of our life, so finding hobbies or experiences that give us access to different dimensions of ourselves is very healthy and worthwhile. For me, I found it through writing about unspoken topics, best practices, and personal experiences. It became somewhat of a journal and self-help space. For you, it can be whatever old or new things spark joy or get you excited. Find what it is and have fun!
