Spring Reflection

Within the Discipline

While I did not take any major specific courses this semester, my Introduction to
Theatre class taught me some valuable skills that I have been able to use as a Residential
Leader (RL). This course taught me to communicate. In any type of situation,
communication is key. In Theatre you have to communicate to achieve many goals, we
had to get in groups and produce a play for our final. This play needed everyones
participation in order to succeed and to get a good grade. This couldnt happen with a
lack of communication, we all had to do our part and comment on things we liked or
disliked about the play. Serving as an RL you have to communicate on a daily basis.
Sometimes your conversations may be difficult but nonetheless you have to talk to your
residents, your staff, and anyone in the hall. While one may not think theatre as a class to
help benefit the RL role, I used what I learned in this class a lot more than I expected.

Beyond the Discipline

Several of my core curriculum classes have helped me in my RL role as well.
While taking Chemistry, I learned that there is always a solution to every problem. In
chemistry you are faced with a lot of complex molecules and atoms but also chemical
equations. You have to make sure every chemical equation is balanced; this is applicable
to everyday life as well as RL life. When a situation arises, it is imperative that both sides
get heard followed by a solution to solve the problem. Being an RL, I have encountered
many situations. This semester I had an intense roommate conflict that I had to help
mediate. Because of chemistry I was able to understand that I needed to see both sides
then try to balance the situation. It is truly remarkable that something as simple as a
chemistry class can have beneficial aspects other than just learning specifically about that
subject.

Beyond Academics
An organization called Gamma Beta Phi has helped me better myself as a
Residential Leader here at Tarleton. In this organization, I have learned the value of
service. We do 6 hours of community service each semester, totaling 12 hours each year.
Doing this service made me see the importance of giving back. As an RL, I think it is
very important to serve not only for your residents but also for your school and
community. This semester, as a group of RLs we created a Round Up group full of people
living in Honors Hall. We then went to a house in the community and helped them with
any tasks they had that they needed help with. My group got to do yard work for a sweet
older lady. Through my membership in Gamma Beta Phi, I was able to use my serving
skills to help lead my group to get our work done in a fun, but timely manor. Service is an
important trait to have while being an RL and through my involvement outside of classes,
I was able to uphold this value.

Interconnectedness
As I said in my fall reflection, everything in the world is all connected in one way
or another. Serving as a Residential Leader has shown me this statement is true. My
classes this spring have all had an impact on who I am and how I act as an RL. My
classes taught me communication and problem solving skills. Both of these are valuable
traits an RL should hold to help them be the best they can be in their role of leadership.
While simple classes may seem pointless, in the grand scheme they all have value.

Global Awareness
This position has helped me understand that everyone comes from different
backgrounds. During the spring semester I was able to take what I had learned from the
previous semester and go more in depth. There is a large group of diverse people you
encounter while being an RL. This semester I was able to recognize those groups and I
even held an event that focused on peoples backgrounds. It is important to recognize that
some people are different from you and may have different ideals than you do. This being
said, coming together as a whole has many beneficial aspects you might not realize.
Being an RL, I was able to see this and help bring everyone together and celebrate our
differences.

Broader Implications
Being a Residential Leader has provided me an experience I will never get
anywhere else. It has helped me grow as an individual and also helped me grow in my
education process. I will be able to take what I have learned from this role into account at
a future job. Being an RL I have been able to work on and grow within my leadership
abilities. Having good leadership qualities is a commodity in todays society and I am
happy to say that I have been given a wonderful opportunity to help grow in this field.