I had lunch with my mentor today. We talked a lot about my experience at Gettysburg and how different it is for me to be here now. My main "problems" are gone, I earned two Master's degrees neither of which is in Music Ed, and I'm doing something that I love and I am very good at. I recently accepted a position as the Music Librarian at Belmont University in Nashville, TN - an opportunity for which I am very excited.
Now I'm sitting and watching the "Christmas at St. Olaf" concert and wondering what my life would be like if I had gone there for college. My mom claims she tried to get me to go and I said no, but I definitely do not remember this conversation. Perhaps the pitch wasn't that great. Maybe it wasn't mentioned that I could study Norwegian and music. Either way, I can't help but wonder what my life would be like now had I spent 4 years in Minnesota.
I know I can't have any regrets, but it makes me think...
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Mentee Becomes Mentor
This past Tuesday an interesting thing happened: I was helping my student worker put up an exhibit that she created and the library director came out to check it out. The following conversation took place:
Director: "Funny, isn't it?"
Me: "What's that?"
Director: "It doesn't seem like that long ago that you were the student, and now you're the mentor."
Me: "Huh. Yeah, I guess you're right."
In my head I was thinking "man, that's weird." I don't feel old enough to be mentoring someone, especially since I still talk to (and need) my mentor quite a bit. Just today I had lunch with another one of our student assistants, and she and I talked about library school and the plan for her life. It doesn't seem like that long ago that I had that exact same conversation with my mentor, and now look where I am - in my own office, influencing other students, guiding them on their career paths and in their lives.
I knew I would never have the type of influence that classroom teachers or professors have, but I am slowly realizing that my influence reaches far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I think it's also a testament to the legacy set up by my own mentor. He has worked with many students, but I like to consider myself his "protege" (and I think he does too). We have an incredible professional relationship, but also a very strong (almost brother/sister) type friendship. He has supported me for 6 or 7 years, and now I get to be that support for others. That is quite the legacy.
I also gave my student worker her Christmas (yes, Christmas) gift today. It was nothing huge, but she was so appreciative, and I realized that all I want is to bring joy to others. THAT is why I get up every day.
I love my job.
(ETA: Seconds after posting, this came through my Google Reader How to Get and Keep a Mentor. Coincidence? I think not.)
Director: "Funny, isn't it?"
Me: "What's that?"
Director: "It doesn't seem like that long ago that you were the student, and now you're the mentor."
Me: "Huh. Yeah, I guess you're right."
In my head I was thinking "man, that's weird." I don't feel old enough to be mentoring someone, especially since I still talk to (and need) my mentor quite a bit. Just today I had lunch with another one of our student assistants, and she and I talked about library school and the plan for her life. It doesn't seem like that long ago that I had that exact same conversation with my mentor, and now look where I am - in my own office, influencing other students, guiding them on their career paths and in their lives.
I knew I would never have the type of influence that classroom teachers or professors have, but I am slowly realizing that my influence reaches far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I think it's also a testament to the legacy set up by my own mentor. He has worked with many students, but I like to consider myself his "protege" (and I think he does too). We have an incredible professional relationship, but also a very strong (almost brother/sister) type friendship. He has supported me for 6 or 7 years, and now I get to be that support for others. That is quite the legacy.
I also gave my student worker her Christmas (yes, Christmas) gift today. It was nothing huge, but she was so appreciative, and I realized that all I want is to bring joy to others. THAT is why I get up every day.
I love my job.
(ETA: Seconds after posting, this came through my Google Reader How to Get and Keep a Mentor. Coincidence? I think not.)
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