My School Counselor Was My Safe Haven

Education has always been my passion. However, because I came from an immigrant family where working to earn money simply equated to making ends meet, education was not a priority. Although my siblings went to school simply because they were required to, I saw school in a completely different light.

School was more than just a place to learn; it was my safe haven. My hand was always the first to shoot up whenever my teacher needed an assistant. I actively participated in extracurricular activities – from student council to band to volleyball. School was continuously more motivating when I was actively engaged not just in the academic sphere, but also in emotional and mental environments. I felt a sense of belonging.

I originally intended to pursue a career in teaching. However, I was discouraged when my support system pointed out that due to the downturn in the economy, it was not the best career choice. After completing my general education requirements, I quickly realized I did not have a plan B. To my surprise, I found myself interested in an accounting course, redirected towards the business route, and went for it.

I was unhappily bouncing from job to job when I realized that this was not the solution. Instead, I had to follow my dream of becoming the guiding light for those youth who live in the shadow of doubt. I have the honor of being an aunt, also known as mini-counselor-in-training, and nothing makes me happier than getting to see my nieces’ and nephews’ faces light up and the hugs I get when I help them with homework. This put a stamp on my decision.

I entered the counseling program because of my passion for education and helping others succeed. Although I was not a troubled student, I think back to my days in high school and recall all the other obstacles facing me – teachers, friends, college applications. There was one common denominator in all those hurdles: I had my school counselor to turn to. Although it has been more than 10 years since high school, I often find myself recollecting his words of wisdom. My high school counselor played an integral role in my success and I want to pay it forward.

A couple challenges that come to mind are the possibility of not knowing how to help a student and the possibility of working with other leaders who are not as passionate as I am about student success. Although we will be properly trained and have resources available, there is just that thought in the back of my mind that I will encounter a student who comes for help and I will not know the right thing to say.

Another major fear is not knowing whom I will be working alongside in the building. I know not every person involved will be as dedicated to creating a delivery system, but my expectations going in is to at least have everyone be engaged, contribute in some way and do their part to be supportive and implement the comprehensive school counseling program.

To be a successful leader and advocate, it is pertinent to have effective communication skills and a mindset for change. Because 99 percent of the job consists of interacting with people, developing develop effective communication skills to “enhance the ability to influence others” is crucial, as Dahir and Stone wrote. At their core, school counselors are advocates for change. We are the voices for our students, so when our results reflect areas of weakness, we must fix them. We should always be looking for ways to improve.

I am excited to learn the techniques needed to be a successful school counselor. It is almost unreal to me that I am actually taking the steps towards following my dream. Yes, a couple of individuals still try to discourage me from pursuing this for financial reasons but I learned my lesson. After all, being an integral part of students’ successes will be the real reward, and I hope this story will go a long way when I share it with my students as their leader and advocate.

Vicky Thong is a graduate student at Central Connecticut State University.