Working Outside the Office

Tia Anderson, college adviser for Bunn High in Franklin County

As advisers, our schedules are always fluctuating. We can be super busy one week, and then the next week we may ask ourselves “What can I be doing?” Speaking from my own experience, most days may consist of 8-plus hours in the office by myself. As most of our students are virtual this year, many advisers have yet to meet their students in person. 

This has truly been a year of uncertainty. When checking in with students, advisers have found themselves calling home, emailing parents, emailing students and some reaching out to students at their jobs to see how they’re doing. 

As food insecurity has grown more than ever due to the pandemic, advisers may ask themselves, “How Can I help?” 

I have always remembered as a student participating in food drives at school, and cleaning out the pantries of close family members, to donate. Now as an adviser that hosts food drives within the school, the passion has grown even stronger.

As advisers, we can sometimes become so comfortable working within our office that once we step outside we realize the amount of amazing things that can be done in our community. This year, Franklin County advisers have committed to working with local food pantries such as Care and Share Food Pantry (Louisburg, N.C.) and Tri-Area Ministry Food Pantry (Wake Forest, N.C). In our work as advisers, our students and families are important to us. 

As advisers, it is important to work outside the office. I have always enjoyed going to the local grocery store and running into a student or even some of my senior families as they’re grocery shopping. These settings may be less intimidating for students, but also convenient for both the student and family.