Jan16_Human Connection

MPM 2018: Change Kit
Allison Pennington: Turn Painted AlphabetAllison Pennington: Turn Patts & BacksAllison Pennington: Turn ElementsMPM 2018: CHANGE Kit
Scrappin with Liz: To Remember Templates

Journaling:
I talk to strangers every day at work. I’m an admissions counselor for a state university, so I work with high school students and their parents during the college application process. When I was younger, it was hard to talk with students who had been denied admission. They were sad or sometimes even mad. Decision day was often my least favorite time of year, because I didn’t feel there was a way for me to make it any better. However, I’ve noticed a change in recent years. I’m sure my 18 years of experience in the field has helped, but I really feel it’s my personal life experience that has changed the way I approach these conversations. With a teenage daughter of my own, I’ve realized that they’re not just looking for me to explain their decision, they need someone to acknowledge the fact that this is a stressful process. Someone to understand how hard they have worked and to validate that in a way that feels genuine. I work hard to make a connection with each person I talk to at work. I listen more than I used to and I really try to offer sincere advice for their next steps. Whether that’s appealing their decision, transferring at a later date, or attending another institution, I want them to feel like our conversation has helped alliviate some of their stress and helped them clarify what their next steps might be. Some of them may contact me again in the future, others I may never hear from again. But I feel good about all my interactions, knowing that I’ve genuinely tried to connect with each person in a way that makes both of us feel satisfied with the outcome of the call.