Did you ever feel this way while going through college orientation? Believe me, you are not alone. Often times, as we join a new organization, we are filled with copious amounts of stress and anxiety. There is so much we don't know! What is our role here? Where we do belong? DO we even belong?! Most of these questions related directly to the communication theory of uncertainty reduction, or uncertainty management.
Relational uncertainties are the anxiety about the relationships you form. Role uncertainties are the anxiety and stress about your actual job. What are you actually supposed to be doing? Organizational uncertainties are the general misconceptions and confusion about the organization itself.
But what does this all mean? How can we apply this further? Let's break it down.
To further process what UMT is, and how we can understand our own personal reductions, we should try to look beyond just the simple definitions of what stresses us out. By comparing different personality traits alongside UMT, you can see how each personality type adapts to reduce their own anxieties.
One of the most famous, and criticized, personality assessments is the Meyer's Briggs Type Indicator test. In this test, the first and most engaged subsection is the introvert and the extrovert. Introverted individuals are often seen as shy, introspective, and secluded. Extroverted students are often talkative, loud, and constantly engaging with other people. These two personality types lie on a spectrum of UMT. While the introvert is more likely to destress by themselves in order to process and debrief, the extrovert is more likely to use verbal processing with other people and crave conversation and interpersonal engagement.This discrepancy is the key in forming any sort of orientation plan for incoming coworkers or students.
At Concordia college, the orientation process is currently structured solely around the extrovert. It is three days of constant engagement and social events that pressure students to be with people at all times. This structure is devastating for introverted students. There needs to be a balance between orientation activities to better accommodate for students who learn and process differently. Here is a list of some of ways to achieve this!
1. Allow breaks for students in between activities
2. Allow time for intrapersonal reflection
3. Extend orientation for 4-5 days in order to space things out
4. Allow students to choose when they eat meals and who they sit by
Overall, stressing and being stressed about entering a new organization is 100% valid and reasonable. However, there are steps we can take to help reduce student/coworker anxiety to help maintain a fair and positive organizational environment.
You can follow the digital presentation of this research here.
I think this post does a good job of defining the terms, breaking down the problem, and presenting a solution.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the formatting of your article it was engaging and relatable. As an introvert myself I can attest to the stressfulness and overload of orientation week. However, it gave me an opportunity to branch out and make friends that I probably wouldn’t have without orientation. It would be interesting to learn about other Concordia student’s experiences whether positive or negative. Also comparing Concordia’s orientation with other schools that don’t have an orientation week or have orientations that aren’t so activity based. Overall, I think your solutions are reasonable and attainable, especially the time for self-reflection.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the way that you are able to break down the subject and really explain all of the aspects. This topic itself is something that everyone can relate to because everyone went through orientation. And while not everyone is an introvert, this helps them look at what other people may be going through and what they can do to help. I think its a great topic. Do you think by making the changes you suggest, it will make it less of a pivotal experience for other people or will have a harder time making friends?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your presentation, and this blog post made it even easier to digest and reflect on orientation as a whole. As an orientation leader, I think it would be beneficial to explain this to new leaders, and even first year students. There is a lot of social pressure during the first week of college, and it is important for students to understand that you do not need to be an extravert to succeed at Concordia. Even though I am extraverted, I still got exhausted as a leader and when I was a first year.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post Hannah! very well written! I really love how you incorporated research and tips on how to improve orientation. I had the same question as Cole. If we take away from the students who are outgoing do you think orientation would be miserable for them ? If so, how could we balance this better?
ReplyDeleteI LOVED THIS! I loved how you included alternatives to possibly improve the satisfaction for incoming students as a whole. Like Lily said, it would be great to talk with OLs and make sure that socialization is not forced upon their clublings, but encouraged. As an OL, you don't want any of your freshman/transfers to feel excluded, but you don't want them to feel pressured or uncomfortable either. Great job, great topic!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're bringing awareness to this issue. I'm glad you related it to UMT, because that is certainly what almost every freshman deals with during he period. I also loved that you gave some pointers to help this issue. Do you think if orientation were to enact some of these ne ideas, it would work conversely for the extroverts?
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