Advising File Notes
Pashmina Patel, First-Year Student
Nursing Major


August:

I met with Pashmina today for our “getting-to-know-you” appointment. The term started two days ago and P. is already signed up for tutoring in biology and chemistry, she's in the choir, and she's volunteering at the YWCA. So mature! Future Peer Adviser?

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September:

Met with P. today to review her personal mission statement assignment for orientation class.  P. is reading articles on early childhood development to help her in her volunteer work. She shared with me that she is involved with a professional a cappella group and travels to New York City most weekends to practice, perform, and record. Yikes! Grades: all A's and B's so far.

Personal mission statement is fantastic. In addition to career goals, P. also listed interpersonal skills she would like to develop, and spiritual goals. “In every city I live in during my life, I want to find one public place, like a café or park, that I love. I will go there once a month to sit quietly and reflect on whether I am living my life in accordance with my true values.” Wow!

Topics I need to find out more about for our next appointment:

Safety shuttle
Faculty research interests
Study abroad programs
Glass-blowing classes

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October:

Helped P. get approval for three-day absence from school—she is visiting other universities to speak and raise money for a fund benefiting AIDS orphans in Africa.

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November:

Completed registration paperwork. As a result of record-breaking sums raised in her district, P. has been invited to speak at a national conference on student volunteerism. Travels abroad may follow. Maybe do a creative writing independent study course in the future to write about her experiences?

Topics I need to find out more about for our next appointment:

Creative writing minor
Community health organizations
AIDS quilt programs
Peer Adviser application
Grant-writing courses
Transferring courses from Penn or Drexel
Opera

(Have never felt so ignorant of current affairs. Should probably also read up on global health concerns, especially AIDS. Also brush up on civic engagement/community involvement.)

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December:

P. very distressed—she and her long-term boyfriend broke up. I need to remember that even though she's an amazingly high achiever, she's still a human being. An eighteen-year-old human being. We ate some leftover Halloween candy and then I walked her to Counseling.

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January:

A new semester, and P. came back with a revised personal mission statement (which, by the way, was not required.) She increased her emphasis on devoting her talents to the betterment of women and children worldwide.

We discussed her heavy course load and extracurriculars. I ventured, “You seem like you're feeling a little overwhelmed.”

She looked at me straight in the eye and said politely, “Actually, I'm feeling confident and ready.”

Darn, darn, darn. I'm usually so good at reading students' moods. Must spruce up intuition.

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February:

P. in the process of applying for Peer Adviser position. She is reading about counseling techniques. Today remarked, “You have very good listening skills. You make consistent eye contact and utilize body language like nodding and leaning forward or back. And you paraphrase what I'm saying to show you understand.”

Was a little flustered. Not used to having my own behavior analyzed by a first-year student.

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March:

P. has been chosen as a Peer Adviser—hurray! We are having weekly sessions to review the catalog, student handbook, etc. She is considering graduate programs (good planning skills!)

Degrees I need to read up on:

M.B.A.
Masters in Public Health
Law
Comparative Literature
M.D.
Pharm.D.
M.F.A. in Creative Writing (this came up after I loaned P. my undergraduate thesis.)

I'm also looking for articles on advising students who are passionately interested in everything.

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April:

P. came in with homemade naan and another substance I cannot pronounce although I tried hard.

“It's pretty hot,” she warned me. “Most, um, Westerners aren't ready for it.”

“I love Indian food,” I assured her. “I'll just try a little.”

Much coughing and drinking of water.

“Have some of this—it's sweet. Sweet helps cut the spice,” said P. compassionately, handing me a cookie.

Felt ridiculous. Felt ignorant and uncultured and undignified.

Also felt extremely proud when P. asked for the dean's contact information so she can request me as her adviser for next year. I have to trust that she knows what she's doing—and I do have that trust. Next August I'll begin another academic year of intense hour-long sessions, of realizing how much I don't know, of questioning my assumptions. Need to read up on so many topics. Fortunately, will have all summer to get ready.