True Story

This morning I was typing at my computer and someone rushed by my office. Nothing odd this time of year, until I heard his sneakers come to a screeching halt. Brisk footsteps could be heard moving back my direction. I look up to see a man, presumably a student, standing in front of me.

Assuming he was one of the seemingly hundreds of students looking for the hidden computer lab, I begin to open my mouth to say "C3026 is." but before I could even peep, he says with a mix of question and astonishment, "You are the youngest looking teacher here!".

"Thank you" (what else does one say?). I reply. "I get that a lot". Though I'm thinking, no one else has literally ran back to my office to tell me.

He goes on, "I could say you are 25, but that would be too old".

Oh. To be 25 again...

Happy Fall Semester.

A little push

As I sit here trying to pull myself together because my dishes are unwashed, my Etsy store is empty, the laundry is piled high, and my dogs have left traces of fur all over the house, I find myself curious how my students get by day to day. While I have no idea the condition of their dishes, laundry, or furniture, I do know they are full time students working 20+ hours a week, often using the money they earn for rent and to care for family members. Loans are usually taken out to pay for school and if there is anything left over, they eat (this is why I keep a stash of juice boxes, granola bars and the fruit of the season in my office).

How can they be so damn motivated while life is spinning circles around them? Sure, some of them trip up, get behind, fail a class - yet with a little push, they are able to keep moving forward.

Huh. There it is. "...with a little push...". 

By day, I work at a community college as an "Advisor" to a group of at risk students. Some call it "intrusive advising" however it has also been known as: advisor, counselor, mentor, butt kicker, and part time mom. I meet with my students every week during the school year, and keep in touch over the summer. I make sure they are in class, turning in their homework, and wisely spending their financial aid money. Whether they like it or not, I challenge them, encourage them, check up on them, push them.

"...with a little push..." they are staying on track. Their lives are absolutely crazy, however somehow, they make it.

It is possible all we really need is someone who is always there? Someone making sure we are staying on track?

It is possible, "...with a little push..." we can all reach our goals and dreams?


Note: While this blog has had a heavy focus on crafting and photography, I wanted to try a little something different to mix it up! Thanks for hanging in there with me! I want to "keep it real", however find it hard to balance what to share about my work and personal life beyond art. I would love to hear your thoughts and how you balance what you share! ~KK

Raw Emotions

Today was tough. SO many crappy things happened. One particular interaction I had today prompted some strong emotions. This leads me to sharing with you some very important life saving information...


Did you know...

• 1 of 4 will experience a depressed mood before they are 24 years old
• Almost 1/2 of college students reports being depressed at some point to the point of having trouble functioning
  
• Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in people ages 15-24 and 2nd leading cause of death among college students
• Over 32,000 people die by suicide every year (USA)
• It is estimated that a suicide attempt is made every minute, and a person dies by suicide every 16 minutes (USA)
• 1,500 people attempt suicide each day (USA)

Warning signs...

• Indications of an abusive relationship
• Mood Swings and/or sudden personality change
• School or work performance significantly declining
• No friends, or suddenly not spending time with friends
• Signs of an eating disorder
• Cutting
  
• Fixation with violence/death
• Depression
• Comments such as: "I'm going to end it all", "What's the point of living", Who cares if I'm around anyhow".
• Giving away important items
• Saying there is a plan to to end things

If you suspect someone you know is considering suicide, it is essential to talk to them. Do not be afraid to directly, but gently, ask them if they are considering suicide. Contrary to some belief, this does not give them the idea. Instead it gives them permission to honestly talk about it. By opening up this line of communication, it shows that someone really does notice them, and cares about them. Ask open ended questions, giving them the opportunity to answer with more than a "yes" or "no".



If you feel the person isn't in immediate danger, work with them to create a plan of action. Help them find resources, such as a doctor or counselor. It may also be helpful to offer to take the person to the appointment.



If the person has a plan, this is one major indication of level of seriousness. If the person is in immediate danger, call 911 or if needed, take the person to the ER or nearest hospital.



If you are considering suicide, remember you are not alone. There are MANY people that care about you and want to help. Please talk to someone. If you are not comfortable telling someone you know, please call 911.



Additional information can be found on the Mayo Clinic web site. Please take a couple moments to read through it. You never know when you could save someone's life.


Additional resources/and references for above stats:

• Suicide hot line numbers
• Hopeline
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• American Psychiatric Association (APA)
  

The letter finally came!

After spending several days with my family in South Dakota I came home to find a letter from my university department. I just knew what was in it. I didn't want to open it. I just looked at it... avoided it.

I took my comprehensive test for my master's program two weeks ago, and have been trying to forget the experience. I hate taking tests. Any kind of test. I get anxious. I try to study, but am easily distracted. I go into the test, trying to be positive, but knowing I could have studied more. I am never the first person done, but closer to the last. With each person that stands up and leaves the room, my anxiety goes up.

After taking this particular test, I was relieved to be done, but really had a deep down feeling I didn't pass. I didn't feel prepared, and walked out of the room in a fog. The last 2 weeks, I have been pushing the memories of the exam to the back of my mind. I didn't want to feel the anxiety until my test results came in! My thoughts and feelings were all over the place. Sad as it may seem, I had even found a calm place were I was okay if I didn't pass (upset and disappointed, but okay).

I finally opened it... and just stared at it.

I passed!

Sure, I'm VERY pleased and excited that I passed, yet I still have a mix of emotions about it. I didn't pass with flying colors, but that is okay. I know the test doesn't measure who I am, nor does it measure exactly what I was taught (or what I learned) in my program (the exam our program has us take is a very generalized exam, counseling, and I have a specialized area, college student development/student affairs...).

I am most happy that now I can move on. I can relax, at least in this area. I will graduate. Unfortunately, I have a list a mile long of things to do. Now, where to begin...

Let the job search begin!

For the last year, I have had my eye on job openings, watching for trends, job requirements, and preferred qualifications. I can’t say I used all of this information to my benefit. I could have volunteered more, or tried to find more experiences to be able to fit myself into a wide variety of positions. Yet, here I am, still sitting on a handful of experiences, many similar to my peers. Sure, there are a few things that set me apart from others, but will it be enough?

I have many interests in student affairs, yet I of course have in mind a 'dream job'. I have had experience in it and singularly, enjoy it the most out of all the others. My only concern is, Can I get this job!? How long should I wait for my dream job? I graduate in May, what do I do if I’m not employed by June... July... August...? In addition, there are other students in my cohort interested in this type of job.

Yesterday my dream job came open! I was super excited! I was reading through the post, and it seems items on my resume would cover all of the requirements, and many of the preferred qualifications. I was nearly dancing around the room. And then, I saw it. "50% time" UGH! You've got to be kidding me!

Now, I'm stuck in a rock and a hard place. I really want this job, however really need a full time job (need is a strong word... maybe "want, prefer, financially would be easier" would be a better way to put it). I don't know what to do. I could at least apply, but if I'm not serious about the job, shouldn't bother.

Let's work on a list...

Pros of this job opportunity:

• It really is my dream job - as far as position. I cannot speak for the institution, or office environment...
• It involves teaching! With my master's degree this is hard to come by, but would LOVE it!
• From what I can find, the job would provide me with opportunities to be innovative, start new projects and build on old ones.
  
• It is at a small school. I really didn't want to work for a campus that was more populated than the county I grew up in. :)
• It might be the only position in this exact field that opens up in the next few months (or longer).
  
• My schedule would possibly be more flexible to visit family, take a long weekend with my husband, etc.
• If my husband and I decided to have children, I would be able to be a 1/2 time stay at home mom :)
• Even having 1/2 time experience in this would give me leverage when/if I applied for a full time job.
  
• I could use the other time to do many other things: Professional development, a 2nd 'fun' job (I always have wanted to be a professional crafter, or photographer...), catch up on my 'to do' list.
  

Reasons this job may not work:

• It is only a 50% time job, which is of course 50% pay.
  
• It is exactly 62 miles from my husband's work place. We could move somewhere between and it wouldn't be terrible, but still.
• What if another dream job opens up, that is 100%, but I have already accepted the 50% job?
• There is an April start date. I'm not sure how flexible this is, and I do not graduate until early May.