Year 2
My second time around in OL, was much different. It was cool to be the one that others relied on, instead of the other way around, like it was the year before. After mastering most of the hard skills, it was time to focus even more on the leadership side of things. I learned how to, and when to step in and offer help, or even offer a joke to lighten the mood.
Jenna as a mentorMy role as a mentor began mostly in my second year of OL. I have always been a strong leader, and am not afraid to be vocal. After gaining more knowledge about the program and everything it includes, this strengthened my confidence and helped me to share it through helping others. One thing I have been focusing on this year is to lead by example. I have proven myself very comfortable with vocal leading, so learning to be a leader without a voice was a challenge. I have found that if I initiate something first, others see this and will usually clue in to help. For example, when everyone gets to camp after a long day of skiing, and you are the first one to take off your skins and keep them somewhere warm, others see this and can act on it without being asked to do so.
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Jenna as a menteeSince my natural instinct is to lead, it was good for me to learn to step back, and let someone else be the leader. The more I worked with other students, the more I understood the importance of everyone working together, and not just following one person. Changing it up helps to acquire new perspectives,visions, and ideas. I have learned that having too many voices can be very inefficient, and that sometimes the most effective way to help is to sit back, and do what you're told. For example, instead of arguing your opinion on which tree the tarp should be tied to, simply following what the leader says despite what you think, is the most successful way to get the task done. It is also a good opportunity to learn from others ideas and perspectives, usually they have a reason behind their thinking.
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Group Dynamics
When spending days at a time in the outdoors with 20 other classmates, group dynamics are very diverse. It is amazing to get to know so many different people through the outdoors, however can be difficult and frustrating at times as well. People work very differently, and learning to understand and accept this is key to avoid frustration and further problems. Yes some people may do things differently than you, but simply asking them their reasoning can go a long way. I have found that after multiple days working with the same few people to set up camp can get tricky. People get tired and crabby, it is important to not let this get to you and to keep a positive attitude. However some conflict is unavoidable. Everyone bickers every so often, and what I have found to be key, is to let things go. Holding a grudge can lead to problems way bigger than necessary. Thinking about the "bigger picture" has majorly helped me to deal with group conflicts. It is easy to get caught up in the moment over something not so important at all, however realizing where you are, and what really IS important can ease a lot of anger.