NorCal CI

qwixilver:

I like this picture too and I hope Patrice doesn’t mind I’m posting it.  As part of CI Staff and especially the Collective, we are often pushed out of our comfort zone.  I just spoke to the rest of the Susej about this and described my experiences as the former Staff & Camper Relations Coordinator.  I did fine when it came to dealing with staff.  I had built a rapport with folks over the years so it was a natural transition for me.  

The other part of my responsibilities is dealing with campers.  I’m to be the “hype guy”, be personable and approachable and even good with names.  It’s a great fit for a social butterfly.  At this point I’ve been the head of security for about 3 years.  I once scared a kid so badly that they almost slipped on ice and fell down some stairs.  All I did was shine a light on him and ask what he was doing (he snuck out of his cabin at 4:30am to shower).  I don’t exactly have a friendly face and in terms of being a hype guy… maybe when I’m rallying a team during time outs.  Otherwise, it looked like a horrible fit in this regard.

It wasn’t easy, and there were times when I had to sit in the parking lot to hype myself up before walking into a gathering.  Not that I was depressed or anything, I was happy to see people but to be the person CI needed me to be… well, for lack of a better term I had to “fake it til I make it”.  It was a skill I eventually developed that came in handy at work, exuding confidence to diffuse a situation and put the customer at ease until I eventually figured out how to fix their problem.

When it’s all said and done, we believe that pushing ourselves and each other out of our comfort zone will be a rewarding experience.  I know it has been for me and as always, it’s not like I was just thrown in the deep end of the pool.  I had support and people who were there for me.  I can’t guarantee how it’ll all turn out though I believe in the best possibilities.  What I can promise is that you won’t be out there alone.  

That’s just how we roll.