Into the Wild...Let the Hunt Begin #24

Making Mistakes.

I had my first trial-by-fire experience at work this week during Orientation. I was allowed to advise my own students and I was ready to jump right in! I felt prepared but at the same time, I was overwhelmed by how much information I needed to remember or keep in the back of my mind. I was at a disadvantage because I missed the orientation adviser training but I had observed and shadowed advisers during the past two weeks so I felt like I knew the gist of it.

Boy, was I wrong about that.

Maybe I'm being too hard on myself but I made a few mistakes that I shouldn't have (all with the same student, who was incredibly agreeable about the whole thing). I kept saying to people who would check in with me: "I can't believe I forgot that!" Or "I feel so bad that I missed that..." But for those of you who have ever worked orientation, I am sure you can understand this when I say: it's chaotic. In all the hussle and bussle of getting students in and out with a full schedule, things can slip through the cracks and your attention to detail can wane. I am lucky that I work with such a supportive team and my coworkers were there to help me understand my mistakes and also fix them.

It's tough, though, feeling like you're the only one messing up. I don't want people to think I haven't been paying attention during my training or that I'm a sloppy adviser. It's only my third week though, and most people who I have talked to here about my trip-ups have tried to tell me that it is not the end of the world and it takes time to fully grasp everything.

I'm nervous for next week though. It's our largest orientation session to date and while this week they started me off easy with about 5 students, next week I know I will be back-to-back with appointments and that leaves little room for error...or should I say little time to FIX errors...

I have this card framed in my office that my professor gave me which serves as a gentle reminder during these times of doubt/anxiety/stress, which reads: So slowly, breathe and smile.

*Woo-saaaaah*