What is your routine for the first few hours of your day?
I need quiet and solitude. I love getting to work early and checking things off my to-do list, crushing some emails, and listening to a podcast or music. The rest of my day suffers when I don’t get my chance to get into the workday zone!
What is the last thing you read, watched, or listened to that changed your perspective?
One of my research interest areas is digital well-being and the influence that phone and social media use has on today’s college students. So I read anything and everything I can about that topic, and it always sparks new thoughts about how to engage with my own teenage children as well as the students I work with on campus.
What is one piece of advice you wish you had received earlier in your career?
Focus on doing the best you can with what you have. It’s easy to fall into the trap of wishing we had more resources or more time. But we can’t do all the things for all the people all the time. So focusing on bringing your best to work every day might seem trite, but it’s been a powerful reminder for me.
What is your favorite campus dining hall meal?
I love breakfast foods in our dining hall, so anything served before 10:30 a.m. I am a big fan of the branded waffles with the big “G” for Gustavus.
What is something that someone has done for you lately for which you were most grateful?
I randomly saw an alum on the street in a town two hours from campus. He approached me and reintroduced himself. He had been a challenging character on our campus in terms of behavior, pushing boundaries, challenging decisions, etc. He graduated 10 years ago but remembered me and walked up to me to shake my hand and say thank you for some of the tough lessons I had helped him learn when he was younger. It meant a lot to me.
What tool does every campus housing pro need to know how to use, and when was the last time you used one?
The rubber mallet – it will forever remain my favorite tool. It has dozens of uses and has gotten me out of a few jams in my career. I have one sitting proudly atop my office bookshelf as if it’s on display. That’s how much I love the rubber mallet.
What was your favorite class when you were a student?
I was an English major, and I loved (and still love) to write. My favorite class was a course dedicated to the works of James Baldwin, which was taught by an instructor whose style I still try to emulate in front of groups. It was the perfect combination of thought-provoking content and making students feel their contributions were valid.
What hobby would you pursue if time and money were no object?
I like to think of myself as a runner. I’m not particularly good at it, but I am persistent. So if time, money, and talent were no object, I would definitely become an ultramarathoner. You know, for fun.
What is your favorite tradition from any campus where you have worked?
I still remember most of the lyrics to the first-year hall cheer songs from my first live-in position. Occasionally one of the cheers will pop into my head, and I’ll find myself remembering what it was like to open residence halls for the very first time as a young professional. The energy and enthusiasm of the students in those halls set an expectation for my career in housing, and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it.
What song do you count on to hype you up to start the day or help you celebrate at the end of a long one?
I have an Apple Music playlist called “Vibes” which is a constant rotation of songs that make me happy. Some are good, most are not, but the important thing is that it changes my mindset every time I listen.
Charlie Potts is the interim dean of students at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota.
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