Shelley Mishra reflects on a personal transformation through discovery of her "real" self, which was enabled by experiences working as an Orientation Leader in Summer 2024.
P.B. Shelley in his poem "To a Skylark" writes, "Thou dost float and run; /Like an unbodied joy whose race is just begun." Shelley describes the unbound joy felt by a skylark that cannot be perceived by a human. However, I, the Shelley who is writing this narrative, aim to expand on P.B. Shelley's idea by presenting evidence for the fact that some humans (specifically, those who are Orientation Leaders) can feel that bliss, and eventually turn into the "blithe spirited" skylark that Shelley describes in his poem.
My journey toward becoming a free-spirited skylark began on November 9, 2023, when I received a call from Emily Parker, the program coordinator at Orientation Services informing me about my selection as an Orientation Leader for the coming summer. A few events flashed in front of my eyes in that moment: me applying for this role in late October, me being unable to sleep the night before my interview, the actual interview, and finally, my selection.
As an Orientation Leader, my job was to lead small groups of students, present information about the university and guide new students by sharing personal experiences as a college student. I also had to provide reassurance to parents by sharing my "hacks" for minor inconveniences in college and inform them about the resources on campus in case of major incidents.
My decision to work as an Orientation Leader stemmed from the inspiration that I got from my Orientation Leader, who became my role model when I came to Iowa as a freshman. I wanted to create an impact on students just like she did. But the grass is always greener on the other side; I realized that being an Orientation Leader was not easy. It involved months of training to become an effortlessly cool representative of the university.
I, with my fellow orientation leaders, attended the spring and the summer training sessions.
Our spring sessions consisted of classes twice a week, whose purpose was to help us intermingle as well as learn the fundamentals of presenting information to an audience. Spring training sessions were the most challenging for me; I was able to grasp the peculiarities of presentation; but I was unable to form bonds with fellow Orientation Leaders, which made me feel lonely at times. I cannot even blame my heavy spring semester coursework for that because I am a naturally introverted individual with a close-knit group of friends in my hometown.
However, summer training turned over a new leaf for me; everyone became cheerful because they did not have the burden of a tedious coursework. I started interacting with more people, and they became my family. I was no longer a closed off, cold individual but a warm and bubbly personality. I had become tough all these years because I had allowed a few negative experiences to overshadow the many positive ones; but my new family allowed me to revel in my newfound, "real," joyous self.
During summer training, we learned about our duties and responsibilities beyond those that involved leading student groups, such as: responding to emergencies, answering questions on the panel, and setting up the information fair. The actual days of orientation resembled our summer training sessions.
Through this experience, I mastered the art of "stoicism." Stoicism should not be confused with a lack of emotions but may be defined as the absence of emotional chaos. I am a sensitive individual; my emotions change rapidly depending on the situation. During orientation, I rode a roller coaster of emotions due to events in my personal life. But I learned to put up a smile and be present in the moment during my shifts. I realized that I worked for Orientation Services every day, but for students, it was their first and only opportunity to explore campus life through Orientation and interaction with an Orientation Leader. I learned that my emotional turmoil should never be a hindrance to their happiness and that my stoicism lies in my smile.
The bonds that I developed with my students were divine. I not only presented information but also conversed with them. I saw a twinkle in their eyes, which connected me to them. I felt the need to live up to the trust they had developed in me and to protect them from the struggles that they might encounter. This need to nurture and protect led me to share my struggles and discuss ways in which college life could be made easier for them.
Another moment that will be etched in my heart forever occurred on July 16, 2024. We had a banquet on this day, an event that signified the end of our work for the summer. The "Orientation Team Choice Award" was also supposed to be announced on this day. This is awarded to one Orientation Leader every year once they are nominated by fellow Orientation Leaders. To my astonishment, I got the award and got the opportunity to deliver a speech. I felt a wave of support that day--from people who cried happy tears as they embraced me, friends who teased me for me not believing in my potential, people who were excited because they had nominated me, and people who hoped that I might return for orientation the next year as well.
As I end my narrative, I would say that being an Orientation Leader changed the definition of a "scholar" for me. I thought that I was a scholar simply because I was a straight A student, who had no social life. But now, a true scholar for me is someone who develops in a holistic way--succeeding in everything they do, be it academics, extracurriculars, or being a kind and trustworthy human being. I no longer call myself a scholar because I am still in the process of becoming one.
I might not be a true scholar yet, but I have become Shelley's gleeful skylark.
Shelley Mishra served as an Orientation Leader in Summer 2024. She also works as an Opinions Columnist for The Daily Iowan, where her columns focus on mental health, education and healthcare infrastructure. She is an undergraduate board member of the International Student Advisory Board (ISAB) which aims to enable intercultural exchange and transition to college life easier for international students. She is a published author, and revels in writing poems and short stories in her free time. A neuroscience major, Shelley likes to talk about the intricacies of the neural system and loves to engage in discussions about the complexities of the brain.
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