Reflection – Storytelling

Challenge & Selection

Storing telling is a great tool that motivates and inspires me the most which has led to many  instances in my life where I have used it. I used to be the Secretary of the Arts Club of my college,  while a majority of them are students who are in the same year as me or just one year younger than  me. We also had students who were freshers, these were the shy ones. Many of these people deal  with anxiety and feel not welcomed for most part of their initial months in every aspect of college  life, they need to be empowered to be free and to express their opinion and inspiration is a path to  empowerment. My team and me spend a lot of time “opening people up” and finding ways to make  them communicate with the others without any fear. When I interact with secretaries of other clubs,  we share stories of what’s happening in our respective clubs and how to include more freshers.  Often these freshers are lonely and are so happy to see us make an effort to interact with them, they  sometimes share stories of their lives with me to connect. With all my club members I share stories  of my school life and my college life in order to help them visualize a state of independence and the  advantage of making a choice, I use their feedback against the context of my story to ascertain their  interests, and sometimes we use stories to better understand their goals and thought processes. I  use this information to develop different strategies to try and find a way that works for them to gain  more confidence in the areas they find lacking in their art.

Application

I have a story about using storytelling. All the secretaries of the clubs make up the Student Body  representation of the college. We used to gather every week to discuss the functioning of the clubs  and the upcoming events and their participation list. After coming to a conclusion we had to discuss  these changes with the administration and the disciplinary committee of the college. Once in such a  meeting, I was trying to explain to them the benefits of taking a more student focused approach,  among other things, and in particular, of recognizing each person as a unique being, and addressing  their individual needs first and foremost. The administrative body was in the grip of a “compliance  culture” and its students were drowning in this non-empathetic, rigid structure. I was also explaining  how sometimes addressing the needs of one individual can impact everyone for the better, even if it  seems extreme or out of the ordinary. I told a story about when the student body arranged for  freshers welcoming day with all activities and fun, everyone seemed so happy except one girls who  was standing, nope literally hiding in one corner. I could tell she needed attention; in my mind I  decided she would be “Princess for an hour.” I bought her a cup of coffee and sat down with her and  let her talk. It turned out that her brother, who was very close to her, had survived a terrible ragging  incident and she was terrified that she would go through the same or that some other crisis would  befall her during her days in this college.

Insight & Approach

Well that was a surprising turn of events because my college had a strict no ragging policy. Her  brother had graduated and thankfully was doing well for himself. Clearly it was time for me to open  up with my story. I told her how scary it was when I was in my first year and how lonely and fearful I  felt and two years back it was me who was in that corner. I also shared that I found my solace  through art and eventually my friends and recognition through it too. I got to know that she was also  very interested in drawing and painting and then tied us together, by noting how she and I both  preferred corners over mingling with new people. This worked really well. She really needed

individual attention for that brief time, and she ended up with that and a true support. She calmed  down, and started taking part in activities and I remember her making her way to the hostel with  two people. I smiled looking at her walking away with a little jump in her steps. So I told this story to  the agency, and I think it had a big impact on people there. The administrative body encouraged us  to conduct more events and even revaluated some rules. Sometimes a little story can do a lot of  good. This course made me see this as a tool in a new way. When I've done it before it was really "ad  hoc," but now I can prepare ahead and think of stories that will assist me in presenting my ideas and  best illuminate them.


Reflection – Storytelling Challenge & Selection Storing telling is a great tool that motivates and inspires me the most which has led to many instances in my life where I have used it . I used to be the Secretary of the Arts Club of my college , while a majority of them are students who are in the same year as me or just one year younger than me . We also had students who were freshers , these were the shy ones . Many of these people deal with anxiety and feel not welcomed for most part of their initial months in every aspect of college life , they need to be empowered to be free and to express their opinion and inspiration is a path to empowerment . My team and me spend a lot of time “ opening people up ” and finding ways to make them communicate with the others without any fear . When I interact with secretaries of other clubs , we share stories of what ’s happening in our respective clubs and how to include more freshers . Often these freshers are lonely and are so happy to see us make an effort to interact with them , they sometimes share stories of their lives with me to connect . With all my club members I share stories of my school life and my college life in order to help them visualize a state of independence and the advantage of making a choice , I use their feedback against the context of my story to ascertain their interests , and sometimes we use stories to better understand their goals and thought processes . I use this information to develop different strategies to try and find a way that works for them to gain more confidence in the areas they find lacking in their art . Application I have a story about using storytelling . All the secretaries of the clubs make up the Student Body representation of the college . We used to gather every week to discuss the functioning of the clubs and the upcoming events and their participation list . After coming to a conclusion we had to discuss these changes with the administration and the disciplinary committee of the college . Once in such a meeting , I was trying to explain to them the benefits of taking a more student focused approach , among other things , and in particular , of recognizing each person as a unique being , and addressing their individual needs first and foremost . The administrative body was in the grip of a “ compliance culture ” and its students were drowning in this non - empathetic , rigid structure . I was also explaining how sometimes addressing the needs of one individual can impact everyone for the better , even if it seems extreme or out of the ordinary . I told a story about when the student body arranged for freshers welcoming day with all activities and fun , everyone seemed so happy except one girls who was standing , nope literally hiding in one corner . I could tell she needed attention ; in my mind I decided she would be “ Princess for an hour . ” I bought her a cup of coffee and sat down with her and let her talk . It turned out that her brother , who was very close to her , had survived a terrible ragging incident and she was terrified that she would go through the same or that some other crisis would befall her during her days in this college . Insight & Approach Well that was a surprising turn of events because my college had a strict no ragging policy . Her brother had graduated and thankfully was doing well for himself . Clearly it was time for me to open up with my story . I told her how scary it was when I was in my first year and how lonely and fearful I felt and two years back it was me who was in that corner . I also shared that I found my solace through art and eventually my friends and recognition through it too . I got to know that she was also very interested in drawing and painting and then tied us together , by noting how she and I both preferred corners over mingling with new people . This worked really well . She really needed individual attention for that brief time , and she ended up with that and a true support . She calmed down , and started taking part in activities and I remember her making her way to the hostel with two people . I smiled looking at her walking away with a little jump in her steps . So I told this story to the agency , and I think it had a big impact on people there . The administrative body encouraged us to conduct more events and even revaluated some rules . Sometimes a little story can do a lot of good . This course made me see this as a tool in a new way . When I 've done it before it was really " ad hoc , " but now I can prepare ahead and think of stories that will assist me in presenting my ideas and best illuminate them .