A Millennial's Perspective on the Work Life Balance

When I started my higher education career, I was 20 years old. I was younger than many of my students and I lived in the college town. I wanted my students to respect me and to know that I was professional at all times. Therefore, I never wore anything that resembled "student wear" anywhere in town (the grocery store, Wal-Mart, local restaurants, etc.). For a long time, I did not wear tennis shoes or indulge myself by walking around the neighborhood to exercise.

This personal/professional decision worked well for my career, but was devastating to my life outside of work. I felt like I was always on display, because I wanted to represent the university well. As a result, I made a conscious decision to move to a city that was closer to the metropolitan area. This was one of the BEST moves that I have EVER made.

I was happier because I could be ME. If I wanted to go to the grocery store in workout clothes, I could. If I wanted to peruse SAM's or Target, I did. If I wanted to spend my entire day in the Barnes and Noble bookstore without seeing my students, I could.

This was one of the highlights of my student services career. I was more productive because I could leave my university work in my office. When I lived in the college town, I took most of my work home and I made trips back to the office on weekends. When I moved, I made my five trips to the office a week and that was it. In addition, my students loved my commute. When they did something extraordinary, I would stop by SAM's and pick up a cheesecake factory cheesecake, an entire sheet cake, or vegetable/fruit tray and I would bring it to work to reward their efforts. When I made the transition to academia, I would often bring the same treats to the classroom.

Thank goodness for the work/life balance!

I am happier now than I have ever been before. I can seek grant money to write about topics that I am very interested in. I teach millennial college students about the importance of professionalism and about life in general. This is my life's passion.

What is your life's passion?

MP

Even a clock that does not work is right twice a day.
Polish Proverb

Laptops Are NOT Allowed!!!

I do not allow students to use laptops (with wireless capability) in my classroom.

Laptops enable students to take their attention away from the lecture/group material. Usually, professors can see that a student is reading a newspaper/magazine, writing a note to a friend, or text messaging another student. However, with a laptop a student can remain incognito to a professor's glaring glance and the student can persist through class by seemingly "taking notes" (in most instances on facebook or myspace).

I graduated from graduate school last year and I am a member of the millennial generation, therefore I had a short attention span in class. During some class sessions, I could not pull myself away from grants.gov/other grants websites or from checking my e-mail.

As a result, in my fall and spring semesters, I do not allow laptops in my classroom. The only exception occurs when my classes are held in one particular building on campus that does not have wireless capabilities.

Do you allow laptops in YOUR classrooms?

MP

The Reason I Left Student Services...

In the past three years, I have heard numerous sources attest to the claim "student services personnel can be sued for negligence while attempting to perform their jobs". THIS CLAIM IS TRUE!

According to the June 13th edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education, "[A] state [Texas] appeals court has ruled that administrators can be sued as individuals, even through they were performing university duties and the doctrine of sovereign immunity protects the university from suits".

In my past life, I was a greek advisor and I spent many sleepless nights hoping that the students would not make the newspaper the next morning. In addition, I advised many other student organization and I took the student to various conferences across the state. During these functions, I dreaded the nightly activities, because I knew that I would be held personally responsible for any bad decision that my students had that night. As a professor, for the first time in my life, I have slept soundly EVERY WEEKEND for the past year! Thank God for academic affairs!

I will continually pray for the individuals in student affairs and that their students make sound decisions and become accountable for their own actions.

Until next time...

MP

She's Back!!!

The summer has finally begun! I am very excited about resting, catching up with my blogging obligations, and the synchronization of my research.

This morning, I read an interesting article about my favorite subject...undergraduate students. This article indicates that rising gas prices are keeping college students on campus (in the residence halls). This will be GREAT for residence life and student activities! Some campuses struggle with retaining students for development programming efforts, sports functions, etc.

Here is the article - http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5813235.html

Let me know what you think!

Millennial Professor