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The Mentor: An Academic Advising Journal

Renewing Yourself from an Advising Slump

Monique Bruner, Rose State College

Do you ever feel like the students you advise don't follow your advice? Do you feel as if your office is understaffed? Do you feel overworked and underappreciated? Just as you are ready to turn in your key, a student comes by your office and says, “I made a 'B' in the class you told me not to drop, and I just wanted to say thank you for having faith in me when I didn't have faith in myself.” A smile comes to your face, and you return to the office to work another day.

Even if you are not experiencing an advising slump, I encourage you to read the book, The Four Agreements, by Miguel Ruiz (1997) and practice the four agreements daily:
  1. Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. If you are not certain of how to answer a student's question, check around for the answer. Give the student a time and date at which you will get back to him or her. It is important that the student be able to trust you.

  2. Don't take anything personally. Remember that as things go on around you, it is not always because of you or for you. The administration makes decisions for the institution as a whole, whereas your direct responsibility is to a student's matriculation within the guidelines of the institution. Don't internalize and overanalyze the bureaucracy or the decisions of the student.

  3. Don't make assumptions. Each student has his or her own background and vision for the future. Find the courage to ask the right questions before making assumptions on policy changes, a student's appearance, academic history, etc. You also have to openly express what you really want out of the advising session and your advising position.

  4. Always do your best. In every advising session, give the student your finest. If you feel you cannot, perhaps you should take a five-minute break: take a power walk or coffee break, consult with a co-worker, listen to some relaxing music, or check your e-mail.
These agreements are simple everyday principles that can help you renew yourself from an advising slump. Remember that academic advising is one of the main responsibilities of any college, making academic advisers the most important student contact on any campus (Ward, 1979). The time, however limited it may be, that you spend with each student is extremely important to his or her success in college. Make each advisement session a productive and enlightening experience for both the student and yourself.

References

Ruiz, M. (1997). The four agreements. San Rafael, CA: Amber-Allen Publishing, Inc.

Ward, M. (1979, October 15). Academic advisement on a shoe string budget. Omaha, NE: National Academic Advising Association.

About the Author

Monique Miles Bruner is academic adviser at Rose State College. She can be reached at 405-733-7409 or mbruner@rose.edu.

 
Published in The Mentor on June 16, 2004, by Penn State's Division of Undergraduate Studies
Available online at www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/
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