#SAGeeks - A Story About San Diego Comic Con

The SAGeeks series is all about celebrating the geeky and nerdy sides of all of us working in higher education and student affairs. The series is edited by Jenn Osolinski and Lynne Meyer. Check out our resources page for more geeky goodness.

It started on social media.  Ryan McRae posted “anyone interested in free tickets to San Diego Comic Con (SDCC)?  Let me know!”  From that post a dream was realized.  Ryan worked at a university near San Diego.  He had reached out to SDCC for tickets as a prize for a “geek week” of programs he was hosting.  In talking to his contact, they mentioned they wanted to reach out to higher education people because they were trying to develop partnerships.  They were offering free tickets to San Diego Comic Con with very few strings attached.  This was six years ago.  My unofficial motto has always been “if it’s free, it’s me!”  So I contacted his person and was surprised how easy it was to get free Comic-Con tickets for me and my partner (and our two daughters).

As a thank you, our family took Ryan out to dinner at SDCC.  During dinner, Ryan and I discussed how we give presentations all the time.  We could totally do a panel at SDCC and talk about how being a geek works for us in our daily jobs.  After all, Ryan put together geek weeks for his job.  I had also begun to do some research on geek/nerd students myself.  We decided then and there that we were going to attempt a panel for 2011 at SDCC.

I did some research and realized how easy it was and how little work was needed to submit a proposal for SDCC.  I had done things for ACPA, ACUHO-I, WACUHO, etc. and this was so much easier.  Part of it asked who would be on our panel.  I reached out to 3-4 other colleagues who I knew were geeks like Ryan and I.  When I approached them and asked “Hey, would you be willing to be included in a panel proposal for San Diego Comic-Con?” They all basically reacted the same way – no chance this was going to happen, but sure, put my name down.  I submitted the proposal for a panel six months before SDCC.  And then forgot about it.

One night in June (about a month prior to SDCC) I received an email.  Our panel had been accepted!  I couldn’t believe it.  I reached out to our colleagues who all gave me their names and we all were just in shock.  We had a lot of work to do in a short period of time.  

We did our first panel in July of 2011.  We got a corporate sponsor to make us t-shirts.  It was amazing and epic.  We had about 150 people attend our first panel that year.  They lined up an hour before the panel just to hear us.  We were the last panel of the day, so we knew they weren’t waiting for anyone else.  At many regional conferences, 150 people would be a keynote.  For about four of our group, this was the first time they had ever been to SDCC.  Many of us had crossed this off our bucket list.  But what we discovered is how big a need it was.

When coming home to my campus, our VP of Student Affairs asked me about SDCC.  He had no clue.  When I explained attendance was 125,000 and explained our panel, he asked if I would do a training for SA professionals on our campus.  Other staff from our panel found connections across the country and continued building a network.  I encountered a student who attended our panel who was applying for an RA job on his campus because of our encouragement.  We had colleagues who felt freed up to pursue their geek identities on their campuses.  Geek Week programming exploded across the country.

We then took our group (called geekEd.) to ACPA where we received more feedback on just how “freeing” it was to encourage people in their love of pop culture.  We started doing more research, connecting with faculty, and the rest has been history. Since then, our group has had a panel each year.  SDCC is developing a Comic Conference for Educators and Librarians, and we have been a part of it.  Over the past 6 years, Ryan’s generosity and our dream has allowed almost 50-60 professionals and students to attend their first ever SDCC.  In addition, we have promoted a sense of belonging for geeks on our campuses, and campuses across the country. Students tell us how we gave them the freedom to pursue geek weeks, comic conventions, and other programming that speaks to them on their campuses.  We have engaged in social justice work through pop-culture and have opened doors around mental health and support because of our passion/obsessions.   There are so many more stories to tell, but for me, this is where it all began.

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Tyler Miller is an avid geek, with passions from Batman, Dr. Who, Stargate, Star Wars, Star Trek, the WWE, and Fantasy Football to name a few.  He is also proud of his geek family, consisting of his wife Kari, and five daughters; Eliana (9), Samara (6), Johana (4), Natana (3), Talyah (11 months).  Tyler has worked in college housing for the past 22 years, and loves the experience working with students and staff in college environments.  He is also the President-Elect for the Western Association of College and University Housing Officers (WACUHO).  

You can connect with Tyler via Twitter, @tmiller1212 or on Facebook.

#SAGeeks - The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The SAGeeks series is all about celebrating the geeky and nerdy sides of all of us working in higher education and student affairs. The series is edited by Jenn Osolinski and Lynne Meyer. Check out our resources page for more geeky goodness.

I'm a geek about pretty much everything - musicals, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Legend of Zelda, astronomy, physics, and a lot of other things. I have been this way since I was a child, obsessing over Pokemon and Sailor Moon. This led to me being a not so popular kid when I was in school. On top of being a geek about the aforementioned things, I was a teacher’s pet to boot and truly enjoyed learning everything I could. I didn’t have many friends, and was constantly bullied, not only for being nerdy, but for being fat. College changed all that - I found friends who had similar interests. College became a place where I began to discover who I truly was as a queer agender person - which ultimately led to me pursuing a career in Student Affairs.

Now, as a new student affairs professional who took a job in a new city after graduation, I struggled to find friends outside of my institution. In a strange twist of fate, my geekiness, in conjunction with my role as a student affairs professional, has helped me find friends, find a personal outlet outside of work, and find a way to let my geekiness shine.

My most recent geek discovery--and now nerdy obsession-- has been the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The first time I attended a live show was with a group of students who were on an outing with the Programming Board (yay discounted extra ticket!). After that first show, I kept going back, and eventually joined the cast. One of the things I love about my cast is our emphasis on equality and social justice themes - from gender and color blind casting for the shadow cast to audience participation lines that calls out racist/sexist/homophobic comments and lines. For me, being on cast is the first time outside of my job where I can be my full authentic self as a queer agender person. It's a place where I'm accepted just as I am, and have built amazing friendships outside of work. More than anything, I’m relieved to have peers outside of work. Beyond a “How’s work going?” conversation, I can unplug, relax, and have fun.

Authenticity is something I value, and I'm open with my students about my secret life as a Rocky Horror cast member. I only mention it if it’s relevant to the conversation, but if they were to ask I wouldn't deny it. My boss even came to support me on my first night playing a character (The Criminologist). It is a lot of fun when my students come to see the show - I don't think I'm the person they would expect to see on cast - and it gives us something unique to share. My cast has become my home outside of my institution and something I wouldn't trade anything in the world for.

So if you are ever in Atlanta on a Friday night - come see me at the Plaza Theater for the midnight show and let me share my nerdiness with you!

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JLP Prince serves as the Director of Community Engagement at Agnes Scott College, a private liberal arts women’s college, in Decatur, GA. They hold a B.A. in Religious and Ethical Studies and minors in International Studies, History, and Communication from Meredith College (Raleigh, NC) and a M.A. in College Student Development from Appalachian State University (Boone, NC).  JLP is a strong advocate of experiential learning within a global context and works so that all students can engage in experiential learning. They are passionate about topics surrounding social justice and equity and enjoy having dialogue around philosophy, intersectionality, and the understanding of difference.  In their free time, (in addition to Rocky Horror!) you'll find JLP hammocking outside, reading a book, singing in Agnes Scott’s Collegiate Chorale, or having a grand adventure.

4 Intangible Benefits of Grad School

The narrative that graduate school costs more money than it's worth has really taken hold in recent years. Just this month, a new article at Quartz pleaded with millennials not to "waste" money on graduate school, but instead to move on from undergrad and start a career. The article was not a scathing dismissal of graduate school by any means, and in fact took the time to acknowledge some of the benefits of higher education. However, it does ultimately serve as one more in a series of arguments against spending tuition on postgraduate degrees.

The argument tends to be purely financial. There are statistics that suggest that the return-on-investment for the average graduate school degree is not beneficial, at least in the short term, to students. This is perfectly fair to say, but it also presupposes that the key benefit of graduate school is the actual degree it leads to. Many would contest that notion in favor of the idea that the primary benefits of most graduate school programs are more intangible.

Frankly, I'd argue that the worth of a postgraduate education depends on each individual's situation. But in order to broaden the conversation beyond tuition cost and the immediate ROI of earning a degree, here are four of the intangible benefits many students do enjoy.

Postgrad Education Can Spark Passion

The popular job search site Idealist wrote up a list of possible benefits from graduate school education, and while many of them focused on things like qualifying for particular jobs or industries, one benefit that stood out was more intangible. That was that earning a graduate degree can "satisfy your intellectual curiosity and spark passion." This is an incredibly valuable point, even if some would counter that there are cheaper ways to find one's passion. The argument made by Idealist, with the support of comments from one former student, was that grad school gives you the time and space to reflect and wade through information — which isn't always possible in the real world.

You Can Generate A Sense Of Accomplishment

While all schooling is about learning, graduate school also provides (more often than not) the pursuit of genuine accomplishment. This accomplishment comes not just in the form of earning a degree, but through publishing projects, composing theses, working in important internship or research positions, and even caring for patients or impacting legal proceedings, depending on the program. In graduate school you get the chance to apply what you've learned in the real world, without the added pressure of maintaining a job, or just getting by. Often your first job out of college won't offer these opportunities, but gaining a sense of accomplishment in school can help to inspire you moving forward.

You Might Find Your Direction

This falls somewhat in line with the idea of sparking passion, but more specifically it means finding out who you really want to be in a professional context. Menlo Coaching's graduate school application coaching program suggests, through testimonials and basic instruction platforms, that there's a lot that most grad school applicants can learn about themselves even before they get to school. Crafting an application means articulating your qualifications and intentions and exploring introspectively what it is you truly hope to gain from the program. This remains part of the process throughout graduate school and often results in graduates having a keener sense of where they want to go in the professional world than they might have had following undergraduate education.

You'll Make Relationships

Some would summarize this idea with that broad, often meaningless term "networking," and others would classify relationships as tangible benefits. But the real point here isn't necessarily the people whose hands you'll shake in grad school, but the things you'll see those people do. The world of education beyond college is full of serious and ambitious people. Seeing them fail, succeed, socialize, and go about their everyday work can be an amazing experience. All of this can amount to a sort of real world lesson that sticks with you in the professional world.

This is not meant as a total endorsement of graduate school. However, hopefully these points helped to illustrate that the debate shouldn't be entirely about tuition costs and the degree itself. For some students considering grad school, it's what happens in between paying and graduating that really makes the experience worthwhile.

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Monica is a entrepreneur. She does part-time freelance writing on topics related to business and education. Want to connect? Send her an email.

Board Games and Self-Care

On your average night, my friends and I get together after work, homework, and all of the stressful things that come with being a Student Affairs graduate student to blow off steam by playing board games. It’s not the type of fun that you’d typically think of young twenty-somethings would have, but it’s exactly what I need to practice self-care.

I first was introduced to the whole world of cooperative board games by my good friend Maverick. He has an entire closet filled with board games—not your simple games like Monopoly, Sorry, or Boggle, but an immense variety of intricate, story driven, collaborative games that require strategy, communication, and skill. At first I played to humor him because of how excited he was to introduce his friends to his world, but the more we played, and the more people we convinced to play with us, the more I truly enjoyed the nights that we spend playing our favorite games.

Each game is different, but the premises are the same—to work together using strategy and skill in order to defeat an end mission. It’s often difficult, and uses a lot of mental power, but it’s truly energizing. The games require strategy to play, and we have to find the exact way to take the necessary steps in order to defeat the mission and avoid having negative consequences happen in the meantime. It is so satisfying to win, knowing that the decisions I might have made helped get us there. I love that these games bring my best friends together and forces us to communicate without the use of technology. I try my hardest to put my phone out of arm’s reach while I’m playing to give myself a digital break.

As Student Affairs Professionals, we spend so much of our time helping other people and extending ourselves beyond what is healthy for us. Playing games with my friends is a way for me to do something for myself that is challenging, fun, and relationship oriented. I’m so grateful that I was introduced to this world and what it’s done for my sanity this year. Board games aren’t the most typical form of fun in the digital age, but the emphasis on relationship building, critical thinking skills, and story driven narrative makes makes them something worth giving a chance.

Here are some of my current favorites:

Dead of Winter: http://www.plaidhatgames.com/games/dead-of-winter

            This game is set in a post-apocalyptic, zombie infested universe. Players work together to complete the end mission (and their own secret mission) before the rounds are over and before morale gets to zero. Each player controls a group of survivors, each with their own special ability. The survivors can go to different locations to search for items or kill zombies, and must work to solve the round specific crisis while working towards this end mission. This is our all time favorite game, and although I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve played it, each time playing through is completely different.

Mysterium: http://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-MYST01ASM-Mysterium/dp/B013TJ5P80

            Mysterium is a crowd favorite, and the best explanation I can give is that it’s like playing adult Clue. Each game has one person playing the role of the ghost, and the rest are investigators. The ghost must silently give each players cards that represent clues in order to help them find their suspect, location, and object. If players guess correctly before the round tracker is at zero, they are able to see the final clues to determine which player guessed the killer/location/object. This one is very easy to teach, and even our friends that aren’t into the intense games love this one!

Eldritch Horror: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/eldritch-horror/

            This game is a new favorite of ours. It’s one of the more intricate and long games that I’ve played, but the story and artwork make it so worth it. Eldritch Horror is based on the novels of H.P. Lovecraft. Players control a character and travel around the world in order to kill monsters, find clues, and complete smaller missions before the doom tracker reaches zero. It’s hard, and we haven’t beaten it yet, but it’s a lot of fun. It requires a lot of strategy and thought, and because of the difficulty, I find myself wanting to play it so often just to get the chance to beat it.

PS: What are some of your favorite games?

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Hannah Torrance is a West Coast native, finishing the last year of the CSPA program at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY. She is passionate about Greek Life, Student Activities, Residence life, and facilitating meaningful college experiences. She is a lover of books, social media, Netflix, and dry humor. Check out her blog, and follow her on Twitter: @HannahETorrance

An Open Letter to Future Academic Advisors

Dear Fellow Newbies,

I had a very visceral “Lean In” type of moment with myself a few weeks ago. Having just received a promotion and in the midst of launching head first into conference season, I began to wonder whether or not I should request an update to my business cards. I still had about 300 left with my previous title having only started my job a year ago, but I felt this deep-seeded urge to say to the world “Hey I worked hard, I earned something, and you all should know!” But then that creeping, obnoxious little voice in your head, the same one that tells you that maybe you’re not entitled to an opinion at so-and-so meeting, said loud and clear “Whoa there lady, who do you think you are? Don’t be a show-off. Don’t make noise because you’re already pushing your luck.” But then the spirit of Sheryl Sandberg whispered in my ear and said “Hey stop that! Claim your new title. Get some coffee, too” and all was right with the world again. 

That issue that we all face sometimes, feeling “like a fraud” in your job, because you are brand new to a position, or too young, or too inexperienced…maybe that never goes away. One thing is for sure, however, that if we let that voice get too loud, we can keep ourselves from really making a difference in the places that we work. As graduate students and new professionals, we sometimes need to remind ourselves that we are more than capable. We can be great educators and show everyone that we understand the complexities of the field, can apply our training, and really discuss the big issues higher education is facing today. 

Sitting in a room of soon-to-be graduates excited about their upcoming post-graduation adventures is a great re-energizer. This time of year is always tough to get through---between the grim weather and the post-holiday lull (and for me, the pacing of a quarter school like Drexel), life seems to be sucked out of you on a daily basis.  “You are here for them”, a mantra muttered under one’s breath regularly when speaker contracts, committee meetings, and purchasing card reconciliation bog down the day-to-day. It’s a reminder that we are in a unique position with a heavy responsibility – as mentors, teachers, soundboards for future aspirations—operating in a very strange hybrid world in which our students must navigate intellectual pursuits, identity development, and financial and personal hardship all at the same time. So then how can we become better allies to our students (in all senses of the word)? How do we move the profession forward in order to make sure that 10, 15, 20 years from now we still have the privilege of getting to do this job? 

I think it comes down to that educator’s mantra…you know the one, that phrase that’s haunted your subconscious since Student Affairs 101: theory to practice, theory to practice, theory to practice. I refuse to believe that I was the only one that had nightmares about this…”Dear Ed.M. student, we will send your Master's degree in the mail once we receive visual confirmation that the words ‘Theory to Practice’ have been tattooed to your face” Etc., etc. Before the big kid money, when ‘the job search’ was an ever-present cloud looming over your head and you spent your days figuring out if it was actually possible to buy gas using only nickels, at least one chunk of your day--every day in fact--was devoted to theories and readings and readings and theories. Magolda and Chickering and Dewey, oh my! You remember, when you were at the height of paper-writing hysteria, you started wondering things like whether you should get a “Challenge and Support” t-shirt made and hey, maybe faculty would be more generous with your grades if you wore it to class once in a while. 

Two years into the field I have slowly come to realize that the kind of developmental and educational psychology foundation we received has been extremely critical in becoming an effective educator, especially when the tough cookie (you know the one) knocks on your door hoping for some direction. When I think back, however, I realize that for whatever reason I didn’t make it a point to do the deep dive with theory as applied to academic advising, the role I had always seen myself taking on later. Student Life, Residential Living…those were always the coursework’s main focuses it seemed, with the nuances of career and academic advising as peripheral inquiries if we had the energy between writing papers and working our assistantships. Or maybe at that point I just lacked the insight (and time) to analyze the intersectionality of student development theories and the specific realm of advising I find myself in today. 

After picking up a copy of NACADA’s Academic Advising Approaches (2013) to prepare for a number of academic program interviews, I discovered two new friends that somehow captured in neat(ish) models the spirit of student mentorship I had always strived for: Socratic Advising and Advising as Teaching. Socratic advising involves the use of reflective exercises such as journaling and goal setting. Advisors facilitate lines of questioning that encourage students to think about the logic behind their decision-making. If you’ve ever had a student say that wanted to be an engineer but then share that they were not “a fan of doing math” you’ll see why this is a useful tool. Advising as teaching posits the idea that you are in fact a complete educator, with the ability to provide the student an experience similar to what they would get in a regular classroom setting (and I would dare say, better). You get to know your students and their academic strengths and challenges. Advising sessions have learning goals, action plans, and follow-ups and, for the really ambitious, you might even create an advising syllabus at the beginning of the academic year to really frame the expectations for the relationship and the purpose of your future meetings. Both of these models pull from the many student development theories we’ve learned and can be used to help you impact the student experience in positive ways—which is always the goal at the end of the day, isn’t it? (More on these two models if you happen to be interested in seeing my session ‘Perspectives on Socratic Advising and Advising as Teaching for New Professionals’ taking place at ACPA 2016 on March 7th in Montreal)

All of this comes down to a very important question—So What? Who cares? Is this a valuable thing to think about? Faculty mentors wrote this question all over my culminating thesis drafts and these days I scribble it on feedback for my students’ work regularly. Even as graduate students and new professionals at the bright beginnings of long careers in education, we should take the time right now to probe these questions and think about the “big picture.” Why are student advisors important? Why should we care that institutions place value on our roles? In an era when all types of organizations are making the sprint towards faceless digital processes, where do professionals like us fall? Some think that the every day transactional aspects of our jobs as academic advisors (overrides for course restrictions, degree clearance, etc.) are the only things we do. Proponents of the “cutting the fat” (aka ‘There are too many administrators!’) strategy of revamping higher education think that one day we could all be replaced by cheaper, more efficient “robots” (software) that can give students exactly what they want and the answers they need when they want it. And if that’s really how people feel, those with power and influence anyway, that could spell big trouble for our jobs in the future.

But that’s the problem, isn’t it? The road to helping students develop into ambitious, well-adjusted, and resilient individuals is not about handing over easy answers. Although their words and actions sometimes don’t provide great evidence to the fact, our students are adults that need to learn how to trail blaze. With that said, tossing 18-year olds into the proverbial deep-end isn’t necessarily the best idea either. For many, college is the first opportunity they have ever had to explore new terrain without the every day guidance of guardians or the comfort of familiar communities. To be clear, I’m not advocating for a full-scale return of in loco parentis by any means, but there has to be a balance—a sweet spot—somewhere between being Mother Duck and feeling like you staff a customer service desk. That is where a well-trained, patient, compassionate educator comes in: armed with common sense and a handy network of campus resources, as well as confidence in their ability to use their own education. An advisor has critical influence. The most successful seniors will tell you that a great someone was in their corner, asking the right questions, proofreading applications to graduate school, conducting mock interviews, introducing them to this amazing dean or that brilliant professor, and always having a box of tissues ready for the really rough patches. 

“The higher education landscape is changing” is a very buzz-wordy thing to say these days—maybe the more compelling reminders are that budgets are getting cut, people are being laid off, and accreditation bodies (scary) and parents (scarier) are in a constant hovering state. So how do we approach the future of our field, all things considered? At minimum, be comfortable talking about these issues early in your career, be proud of your training, continue to develop it, and advocate for your profession as a critical part of a student’s ability to thrive. With many answers still blurry, one thing at the very least seems crystal clear: if we see ourselves (and allow our directors and deans and provosts to see us) as simply walking and talking degree auditing software, we won’t be here for much longer.  That scares the heck out of me because I have a fantastic job working with some of the smartest and most daring young people I have ever met. Not to mention, I also really dig my new business cards. 

Sincerely,

Also Still a Newb

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Ana Castillo-Nye is the Program Manager for the Pennoni Center For Interdisciplinary Inquiry at Drexel University and advises in the college's individualized major program. After completing her B.A. with a concentration in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Rutgers University in 2011, she continued with graduate studies at the School of Education where she received her Ed.M in College Student Affairs/Higher Education Administration in 2014. She believes in cultivating student personal and professional growth with the goal of facilitating leadership development that approaches problem solving in the systemic mindset. She tries to challenge students to learn how to move between“small lens” and “big lens” thinking. Within and outside of academia she is interested in issues regarding educational access, specifically related to immigration advocacy/reform as well as educational and leadership opportunities for women globally.

5 Classic Books That Are Actually Great Fun

If you're a literature nerd like me, you've probably read buckets full of classics and found something to love about most of them. But objectively speaking, it's fair to say that a lot of books that have made their way to the "classic" distinction over the years can be a little long, dense, or dry. On the other hand, a lot of them are a lot more fun (and quicker to read) than some people might expect! So for anyone who's ever wondered what the fuss was about with some of these titles, I'd start a reading list like this:

1. "For Whom The Bell Tolls" by Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway's name is often included in a long list of early-20th century authors with lasting impact. But he might just be the most unique one of the bunch, largely because of his typically abbreviated prose. Hemingway approached his work armed with a so-called "Iceberg Theory," which basically means that he found the true beauty in writing to be in what's left unsaid. As the theory goes, the "dignity" of the movement of an iceberg is due to only one eighth of it being above water. So goes his writing: compared to many of the other authors of his time, Hemingway explicitly says very little but achieves great power with the words he does choose to write.

The result is that his novels are pretty easy to consume, lacking clutter but profoundly impactful nonetheless. That, plus the subject matter— "For Whom The Bell Tolls" is about the Spanish Civil War and among the most realistic war novels ever written—makes this a perfect book for a classic lit skeptic.

2. "Sula" by Toni Morrison

Considered one of a number of modern classics by Toni Morrison, "Sula" might blend in on a first glance, appearing to be one of a great many novels about race relations in the South. But to dismiss it as such is a mistake on multiple levels. For one thing, Morrison is pretty much the queen of black feminist literature, so even if it feels like this book is part of a crowded genre taught in schools, consider it the best of the best. Moreover, "Sula" isn't so serious or so focused on message that it isn't fun to read. In fact, it almost reads at times like a fable, with vivid characters and events that simultaneously border on fantasy and horrify you with their realness. It's a quick, astonishing read.

3. "Around The World In 80 Days" by Jules Verne

Jules Verne will always be recognized as one of the more fun or entertaining classic literary figures, and that's actually been evidenced in recent years by the fact that this particular novel has become a source of inspiration for video games. An "Around The World" title is featured among the games at Gala Casino, and it's enjoyably rooted in themes from the novel. It's basically a guessing game with betting components, but it also simulates a trip around the world in a hot air balloon. Similarly, there's also an "80 Days" app by Inkle that turns the bulk of the novel into a playable mobile experience.

The point is, they don't just go making video games about dry, boring old literature! "Around The World In 80 Days" is simply a blast to read. It's an adventurous and wildly inventive tale about a wealthy man and his valet as they attempt to circumnavigate the globe (in the 1800s) to win a bet.

4. "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

"To Kill A Mockingbird" is a vital read for a number of reasons you may remember hearing about in a classroom. To me, it's the preeminent novel in depicting everything from racial injustice in the deep South to the loss of innocence that inevitably exists as one grows up. Those are some heavy themes, but as with "Sula" (though in an entirely different voice), this novel is oozing with the near-mystical elements that seem to come to the surface when a writer captures the deep South.

It's a quick and easy read and it remains extraordinarily thought-provoking over 50 years after its release. It's also become newly relevant thanks to the surprise release of a lost manuscript called "Go Set A Watchmen" in 2015. It doesn't directly follow the narrative of "To Kill A Mockingbird", but the new book is viewed as something of a distant and slightly disconnected sequel.

5. "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville

I suspect that "Moby Dick" will be the most daunting title on this list to those who don't habitually read classics. It's a massive book, commonly mentioned as a cumbersome classroom requirement. It also may be the most surprising book to read among popular classics, because once you get into it you realize that it's an extremely colorful adventure. "Moby Dick" is undeniably long, but it seems to have been written as much to entertain as to preach, which is something a lot of us want a little bit more of in classic literature. There are themes of race, perception, conquest, morality, and much more, but there are also deeply unique and fascinating characters that keep this novel interesting from cover to cover.

These are just a few to start with if you've ever wondered where the fun is in the classics. If you have any more to suggest, share them in the comments!

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John Bergman is a New York City-residing freelance writer. When he isn't obsessing over his book collection (and trying to trim it down), John enjoys playing The Witcher 3 and watching Daredevil.

Digging Deeper into Nerd Masculinity

For a long time I have considered myself a nerd; an avid reader and true academic from an early age. I embraced the term “nerd” more and more during the multiple summers I spent at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth summer programs, where I learned that it was cool to love learning, comic book characters, abstract television shows, and the unique brains of those around me. In my adult years, I have retained many of those endearing qualities that made me such an oddball little kid. This is an important piece of my origin story, because I believe this love of knowledge and asking hard questions led me to Women’s and Gender Studies, and then Higher Education, academic disciplines where I get to constantly question ideological structures and challenge people’s preconceived notions of identity and being. I had the opportunity to take a course in my Masters program titled “Men and Masculinities”, in which I explored the multiple masculinities that exist within our society. Since the course didn’t reference “nerd masculinity” within its material, I chose to write my final research paper on the topic, and uncovered some insightful information. So all of this (and my relationship with the one and only Higher Ed Geek, who eagerly pushed me to write about this topic) is what has brought me to this blog post.   

I’ll preface this by saying that I recognize there is a difference between nerds and geeks, however there are enough similarities between the stereotypes of the two that for the purposes of this blog I will be referring to “nerds” and a generalized “nerd masculinity” for some simplification.

I started with analyzing some research of school-aged children, since those formative years shape who we become as adults (I suggest checking out NERDS; American Nerd; and The Geeks Shall Inherit The Earth if you are interested in children’s perceptions of nerd identity). Stereotypically, “nerds” in elementary and high school are social outcasts, these tend to be the students who have a high intellect, a touch of social awkwardness, and those who find comfort in rational thought. What struck me was that high intellect and rational thought are coveted traits in hegemonic masculinity (the traditional norms and standards society has constructed and expects men to act within); however, nerds are assumed to lack desirable physical traits or social or athletic skills which enable them to fit in with hegemonic standards. These traits may carry on into adulthood, and can become defining characteristics of men’s personalities.

Nerd masculinity is confusing; you might be thinking, “If nerds don’t fit into hegemonic standards of masculinity, how could things like Gamergate or hypersexualized comic book characters happen?” What I’ve learned is that specifically because nerds are ostracized by society (women and other men), they have to perform in a hypermasculine way to attempt to be accepted. This of course, is a generalization, but many nerdy men often feel marginalized within our society’s hierarchical structure, and thus feel the need to marginalize others in order to gain back some sense of power. Every social group (think: religion, ethnicity, national status, sexual orientation) has a hierarchal system in which someone gets oppressed.

Dr. NerdLove has a great article about these toxic notions of masculinity that enable this system of domination and oppression to work in our society. He defines it as a specific narrative about the ways men should act: “emotionally repressed, thuggishly violent, sexually aggressive”. Because toxic masculinity has seeped into every crevice of society, including popular culture and the media, even men who aren’t seen as highly masculine still subconsciously engage in hypermasculine behavior. This is cyclical—nerds are inherently oppressed within the hierarchy of hegemonic masculinity, so they seek out alternative spaces and create their own hierarchy by attempting to emulate behavior that will hopefully gain them more privilege within the hegemonic power structure.

As in all other masculinities, nerd masculinity cannot be understood as a simple blanket identity. There are definitely subtle variations of nerd masculinity that either embrace, or push away from, specific practices of hegemonic masculinity. While nerd culture is not the perfect alternative to hegemonic masculinity, it is certainly becoming absorbed and more accepted by popular culture (read: Marvel and DC movies are dominating the box office, board game sales are steadily increasing, and did anyone see how much Star Wars advertising there was?). Nerd culture is revolutionizing this technological age we live in, and the once ridiculed interests and hobbies of nerds and geeks are becoming popular and in high demand.

While there are still some downsides to nerd culture, including the sexual objectification of women (like women being groped and photographed without their consent at Comic Con, and the few women who are even represented in comics often have ridiculous body shapes and are in in ridiculous poses), as more men begin speaking out against this behavior, and as more women continue joining the nerd ranks, this behavior can and will readily change. Nerd culture has the potential to be a diverse and inclusive environment; just think of all the different characters, superpowers, magical lands, and origin stories that exist across its many different genres. Nerd culture also creates a space for imagination, fun, and creativity, which people of all ages deserve to have access to. Those who embrace nerd masculinity has the ability to subvert hegemonic masculinity and fight the good fight, they just first have to become conscious about what they are standing against.   

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Jennifer Osolinski is a New Jersey native completing her last semester in the University of Maine’s Student Development in Higher Education Masters program. Jenn’s passions are academic advising, feminism, and social justice. She spends her free time looking at puppies on the internet, trying new recipes, and watching a myriad of TV shows and movies. You can follow her on Twitter: @Jenn_Oso

Finding Yourself & Geek Identity Theory

During my first semester of graduate school, I took a course on theory development within college students.  I learned about theories grounded in career development, religious development, and personal identity development.  Within personal identity development I noticed a commonality between all the theories.  I was taught to use theory as a base knowledge to understand a student better, being able to assess where each person was on the developmental level.  As a self-named geek, I was determined to find other applicable identities for students to develop.  Here is the "Wagner Geek Identity Development Model" (WGIDM) as seen through my own development.

Stage 1: Non-geek

During this stage, students do not consider themselves to be geeky.  This was reflected during my first year of college.  My interests were of movies and not much else.  I did not have an overt affection towards video games, superheroes, or anything deemed “geeky” by society.

Stage 2: Open to Geek Culture

During this stage, students are opened up to the geek culture.  In my second year of college, a fellow resident assistant took me to a comic book store and opened my mind to my favorite superhero, Green Lantern.  This moment sparked an internal revolution into geekdom, leading into stage 3.

Stage 3: NooB

This stage is when geeks begin to make meaning of their identity.  This can be seen through a new variety of one’s Netflix qeue, frequent trips to comic book stores or GameStop, and enhanced research on the geek culture.  It is during this stage that individuals seek out groups of fellow geeks to validate their feelings and share in experiences.

Stage 4: Leroy Jenkins

During stage 4, individuals dive into the culture in an attempt to figure out what type of geek that person wants to be.  For me, that resulted in watching YouTube videos about video games, downloading podcasts about Star Trek, and buying midnight premiere movie tickets.

Stage 5: Geek Chic

This stage revolves around individuals refining the type of geek they want to be.  Folks have searched every outlet in an attempt to whittle down what geek really means to them.  I finally decided that I did not know enough of World of Warcraft to try and become a level 70 goblin, however I knew I enjoyed superheroes and video games, so I stuck to where my true passions were.

Stage 6: Live Long and Prosper

This final stage can only be accomplished when a person fully admits to their geekdom.  This stage occurs when one has accepted that they are a geek and has begun to integrate their geeky tendencies into their personal life.  I was finally able to walk into the comic book store without feeling like an outsider, using superhero inspirations for door decorations for my residents.

Obviously with this theory comes one major critique: what does it mean to be a geek?  This notion is relative for each individual person.  To someone, a geek can only refer to science fiction novels, however to others being a geek can mean they are excited about woodworking.  The term geek is open to interpretation.  My own definition is that a geek is a person that understands a topic incredibly well and has become a true passion.  No matter what the definition, this theory can serve as an opportunity for folks to assist their students in the development of their identities.

Remember, with great power comes great responsibility, so use it wisely.

Hey y'all!  My name is Julie Wagner and I am a current graduate student in my second year of the College Student Personnel program at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.  Currently I am working in Campus Activities and get to work with fantastic students and their organizations.  I began my obsessions with higher education and geek culture in the fall of 2012 and have not stopped since.  My bookshelves are equal parts graphic novels and development theory books. Connect with me on Twitter!

Batman and the Open Work Environment

When I was in college there was a blissful place in the library called the quiet area. I could go to this place and something magical would happen – no one would talk to me or around me. It was my own productivity cave. Then, I got to the real world and I was introduced to the open work environment – also know as a fashion show of headphones.

The open work environment – an airy creative space to give you room to think. To allow you to collaborate with your colleagues and to really get some “innovative” work done. But what if collaboration isn’t for every minute of every day? At first I thought, I was a broken millennial. I am terrible at ping-pong and other games that frequent the open work environment, and I prefer not to drink beer at work. For the record, I like my cave. I want to be alone.

Someone who prefers to work alone? An endangered species. But then it hit me – Batman (no he didn’t actually hit me, that would suck and I would probably be dead). Batman liked his space and he did a pretty good job juggling a double life as a super hero and millionaire. Not only that, but he knew when to work with a team and when he was the only man for the job.  If he ever did yoga, his balance would be a sight to behold.

Working styles differ and finding the best one for you is important.  Realizing the space and environment I thrive in boost my productivity and creativity. Some prefer the active and energizing open work space, other prefer a coffee shop buzz or working at midnight.  Whatever you prefer, finding the right fit will be a great improvement on your work life.

If anyone needs me, use the signal. I’ll be in my cave.

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Bethany’s background includes working for startups, corporations, and ad agencies. Her area of expertise is digital communication and marketing strategy. She works as the Marketing Director for CordiaGrad and graduated from University of Kentucky (Go Cats!) with her B.B.A in Marketing.

Bethany has lived in 6 different states and enjoys taking spontaneous weekend trips to explore new cities. She is a Memphis native and volunteers with St. Jude Research Hospital.  She follows Kentucky Basketball when they are winning which, according to her, is always. Connect with her on Twitter to keep the conversation going.

Seeing Is Believing: Pop Culture, Representation, and Higher Education

I am a huge media consumer. From books to music to television to movies to web series, I am transfixed by entertainment. My habits border on addiction and often distract me from more academic pursuits. This piece is an attempt to mind meld both my passion for media and my passion for student affairs. Let's hope it comes out more like a hybrid striped rose than Frankenstein's monster.

Staying up to date on what is popular is a hobby for me. I always check the trending sections on Facebook and Twitter as well as entertainment magazines. As a woman of color it has been of interest to me how representation, particularly in television, has changed lately and the trends are reflecting that. We have seen many characters bring the variety American life to the screen in the past few years. There are two critically acclaimed shows, Orange Is The New Black and Transparent that focus and feature on the lives of transgender people. The biggest show runner in Hollywood is a black woman who heads up three hit shows with diverse casts ranging in ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and more. Shows like Blackish, The Fosters, and Fresh Off The Boat explore family life in ways that we haven't seen in years or maybe ever. Television is starting to try to reflect our society. Of course, it is by no means perfect and the majority of what is created is targeted at a certain demographic of viewers. The simple truth is that our media is still run by men and white men at that and they are the ones deciding who and what we see. However, we are taking a turn for the better and I only hope that this will continue until it is no longer a trend, but everyday reality on our screens.

Seeing is so very important, especially in the media. It is where we get a lot of our information and education. It is where we learn about other cultures and experiences we may not have access to. It is those views that help shape how we view ourselves and how we view others. When there is no one like you in the common places to look your view of yourself can become skewed. I know that I connect better with stories and characters that reflect aspects of myself whether it be my ethnicity, my gender, or my hobbies. When you can see yourself in the characters on your television screen it helps to affirm all sorts of possibilities. When characters that look like you or identity as you do are doctors or business people or just fully formed complex humans you have an easier time conceiving that these are things that you can achieve, that you can be. When I see characters like Cookie from Empire, and Maxine Shaw from Living Single, I get so much LIFE. This feeling of belonging and believing made me think about how I could apply this to my work.

I do a lot of program planning in my organizations, from academic panels to Disney themed socials, and one thing that has stood out to me is that students are more engaged in the work my groups and I do when they feel represented whether physically or in terms of interests. Diversity in programming and presentations is so important to students, just like it is to media consumers. The programs on campuses need to reflect their communities. I have helped curate a Nerd Girl Panel for the past two years of Geek Week at Rutgers University. With the help of advisors we were able to gather an amazing group of women from a bunch of nerdy fields from film to social justice bloggers to librarians to Buzzfeed authors. We had women of different ethnic backgrounds, sexualities and experiences. It was amazing to see the way students of all different backgrounds, genders, sexes, and interests interacted with the panelists and spoke about how wonderful it was to see themselves in the speakers we brought. Our programming has to reflect our students and their interests, not just in the entertainment we provide, but in the academic and networking areas as well. Students can only thrive when you affirm that they can achieve anything by showing them real life examples. Seeing truly is believing.