Not from a cookie cutter

Today I helped a some fellow Student Affairs graduate students by letting them interview me about leadership. I remembered being in their shoes last year... I can't believe it has only been a year since I started grad school. It seems like a lifetime ago and yesterday all at once. I had so many reflections all at once.
They asked about my philosophy of higher education, which is that no one should feel education is not an option and no one route is right. My path to where I am, I feel, was predestined. Every experience feels purposeful and has led me to where I am.
They also asked what do I hope to see in higher education in the next 5 years. I said that I hope the system as a whole will be more inclusive and embracing of diversity. I hope it is a broader converstaion then ethnicity. I hope we can talk about and support all types of students because these are the ones we serve. Students are publicly and silently coming from so many experiences. Dealing with issues like race, culture, gender, sexual orientation, religion, mental health, veteran status, undocumented status, alternative education, special needs students, on top of what is already being faced in the field of higher education can be over whelming and leave students feeling unheard and unsupported. I feel like people see me and think they know all they need to know, but like any other person there is so much more then meets the eye. I am not from a cookie cutter and I shouldn't expect students to always be from a cookie cutter.

Am I destined to always be one step behind?

In my morning blog reading, I read a post by Tavi (@StyleRookie), a fabulous teen blogger who I wished I was half as funny as! Tavi was talking about her joy to be "one of them" with her iTouch and then low and behold the new latest thing is out! I can relate to this. I constantly feel like I am one step (or in some cases one mile) behind the latest and greatest. Every time I get a phone, iPod, computer, flash drive, or car then next best thing is announced in a manner of 2 weeks.
For example: My first cell phone was this hurky nextel all black thing that was about 2 inches thick and no color screen. I was soo happy to have a cell phone but then I looked around. It was like I had a Zack Morris cell phone. Everyone had their Razrs and could slide them in their pockets. I wanted to slide my phone in my pocket, but the stupid rubber grip would get caught and then the phone fell to the floor and bounced bringing even more attention to my huge cell phone! Then I noticed that they could take pictures and send them to friends... What? When did phones do that? After some time I got a new phone the Razr but then it wasn't cool anymore. Then my mom gave me her Blackberry Pearl. Finally I was cool! Then it stopped working and I had to go back to the Razr! NOOOO!!!!! It was the sadest day ever. Within a matter of days I was at the store buying a new Blackberry and I realized why I never have the latest and greatest. It cost too much and the first gen products tend to have so many issues.
I am still using my first gen Blackberry Pearl Flip but it is having problems now too. I am sure I will be getting a new phone soon and I am still undecided about what to get. I am sure that it will be fun and most likely not the coolest thing ever!