What is your routine for the first few hours of your day?
I typically wake up at 5 a.m., greet my cat, Cleo, then brush my teeth and get dressed in my workout clothes. I’ve been navigating patellar tendonitis, so I’ve incorporated 15-minute physical therapy exercises into my morning routine before I head to the campus gym around 6 a.m. to do about a one-hour workout. After I go back home to shower and get dressed, I clean out Cleo’s litter box and brush her fur; it’s a nice way to treat my cat while keeping my apartment clean. Then I make some coffee for the road and head out to start my workday.
What is the last thing you read, watched, or listened to that changed your perspective?
I’m currently reading Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be an Antiracist for a colleague book club at my institution. I started the book some years back but never finished it, so I’m challenging myself to complete it this time around. I really appreciate the philosophy of the book, as I aim to be a positive agent of social change within the higher education field. There have been some challenging moments in reading the book where I have had to face my own problematic and reductive thinking regarding race relations. Despite and in respect to the necessary discomfort I’m working through, I appreciate the opportunity to think about these topics so that I can be a better informed community member, especially going into a semester that will undoubtedly be charged by the sociopolitical impacts of the 2024 presidential election.
What is one piece of advice you wish you had received earlier in your career?
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is a real feeling, but the feeling that you have to do everything is not. Don’t try to do everything. In fact, you can’t possibly do everything. It’s best if you focus on a few key goals and dedicate yourself to achievement in those arenas for greater impact on the university’s community and personal satisfaction. It may feel like you’re not doing a lot or enough sometimes, but homing in on a limited number of meaningful objectives will allow you to be much more productive than having your attention divided in countless directions.
What is your favorite campus dining hall meal?
The main dining hall on Colgate’s campus, Frank Dining Hall, sometimes offers a menu of different styles of macaroni and cheese that I really enjoy. There’s a variety ranging from traditional mac and cheese to buffalo chicken mac and cheese and even bacon and veggie-filled mac and cheese. Those days are always very exciting!
What is something that someone has done for you lately for which you were most grateful?
I was recently having car trouble and reached out to one of my coworkers for support since I know they know a bit about cars. They were willing to sit out in the hot sun and look at my car to give a light diagnostic. That really meant a lot to me and helped guide me in the right direction for my car repairs.
What was your favorite class from your days as a student? How do you still use the lessons or knowledge from it today?
Throughout elementary school and middle school, I was a huge math wiz. When I reached high school, though, my love of math waned, and I got really into French language and art.
What tool (real or metaphorical) does every campus housing pro need to know how to use, and when was the last time you used it?
I believe that the Wellness Wheel Worksheet is a personal wellness tool that all campus housing pros should know how to use. As staff who work very closely with students, sometimes in live-on roles, it’s important that we take stock of our own well-being to ensure that we are taking care of ourselves while supporting our students to avoid burnout and dissatisfaction. I last used this tool about a month ago to audit my energy management and refocus my energies on areas to which I was not giving attention.
What is your favorite tradition from any campus where you have worked?
I have been blessed to have served at Colgate throughout my higher education career, and one of our traditions that I love is celebrating Friday the 13th. Colgate has a fascinating history of a connection to the number 13: The university was founded by 13 men with 13 articles and 13 prayers, and the university’s zip code is 13346 (the number 13 plus three numbers that add up to 13). Because of these idiosyncrasies, the university celebrates every 13th of the month that falls on a Friday with fun events around campus.
What hobby would you pursue if time and money were no object?
I would travel around the world on marine expeditions. I have loved aquatic life since watching the movie “Finding Nemo” when I was 11 years old, and I would love to explore the oceans and study the beautiful creatures of the sea.
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?
Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul” is a song that I keep on a very heavy rotation. I love listening to it in the morning when I’m getting ready for the day to pump me up and inspire me to do great work.
Chimbere Nwaoduh is the assistant director of residential life at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.
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