Tag: quick tips

Quick Tip: 8 Ways to Rest Before a Trip

January 13, 2025January 12, 2025by Nick ManceLeave a comment

Next week is our winter retreat which is typically the biggest trip of the year for our student ministry. There’s been a ton of prep work going into organizing, planning, and behind the scenes aspects that have been happening for months. In fact, this past week has been incredibly busy and stressful with final preparations and feeling the crunch of normal programming coupled with trip preparations.

I’ll be honest, this past week has been exhausting. I’ve gotten home every night, felt wiped out, and just want to veg out. As the weekend approached I knew I had to make a conscious decision to not do work and simply relax, spend time with Elise, and stay healthy.

The truth is just a few short years ago, that wouldn’t be the case. I would have been frantically checking emails, responding to calls and texts on my days off, I wouldn’t be sleeping well, and the stress would be overwhelming. After a much needed and forced period of rest, I’ve begun approaching ministry with a different perspective that is focused on maintaining my health so I can be a healthy leader.

With that in mind, I’ve approached trips and retreats differently. While yes, the weeks leading up to a student ministry trip is busy and stressful, that does not necessitate us compromising our health, time off, and time with family. So let me encourage you to actually find time to rest, relax, refuel, and prepare leading up to your trip.

But how can we do that well? Here some ways I have found beneficial:

1. Make sure to get plenty of sleep. We all know this doesn’t happen on trips, so start to give your body extra rest in preparation.

2. Hydrate and make sure your body has plenty of fluids. This is essential both before and during your trip.

3. Eat foods that are good for you and boost your immunity and overall health. Camp food is fun (said no adult ever), so preparing your body by eating well ahead of time is essential.

4. Take preventative supplements and vitamins. Gotta keep up your strength and stay healthy!

5. Spend time doing things that fill you and bring you joy. Your upcoming trip will be very demanding in multiple ways. Take time to do something for yourself to charge up ahead of time.

6. Make sure to be wholly present with your family. You’ll be spending significant time apart, make sure to do some things together before that happens.

7. Don’t do work. Yes, you’ll get frantic last minute texts, emails or calls. But someone else’s lack of planning or preparation does not necessitate an emergency on your part. A simple text response saying you’ll respond when you’re in the office will suffice. That may sound a little harsh or dismissive, but your time off and well-being is important and necessary.

8. Pray and spend time nourishing your soul. You’re going to pour out a lot on this trip, so make sure your pitcher (i.e., your soul) is filled so you can pour out.

Quick Tip: Remember Your Neighbors

December 16, 2024December 15, 2024by Nick ManceLeave a comment

It is fairly easy for church staff to get focused on their ministry and church because it’s where they work, are involved, and the place that host the people they care for. But if we take a step back and look, we will see that there are other areas in our lives where we should also be invested. The place your spouse or family members work, your neighborhood, your friend group(s), or places and businesses you frequent are just a few of the areas you can and should have an impact in.

We have an opportunity, privilege, and a calling to reach people in all the spheres of which we are a part. Over the course of our marriage, Elise and I have seen these additional areas as opportunities to love and care for others in a variety of ways. When we lived in Iowa, we were able to help neighbors shovel their driveways or get their cars out of snow banks. We also were able to help people with moving when I had a pickup truck we could load up.

Living where we do now in Pennsylvania, we have been able to get to know our neighbors and community even better and God has blessed us with opportunities to care for them. One of our favorite ways to do that comes during the Christmas season. We bake for our neighbors (including the staff at our local pizza shop), deliver the baked goods, and visit with them. It’s looked different year to year. Some years we use pre-made cookie dough or cinnamon rolls, other years we make the cookies from scratch. We’ve delivered rice cereal treats, and this year we may add candied nuts as well. It has become a tradition we love because we get to show our community that they are loved and remembered.

The point of this post though isn’t just to do things at Christmas, but instead to help us all think about how we can care well for the communities of which we are a part. It doesn’t have to be extravagant or involve things that only “people with money” can do. These are simple moments we can utilize to love and care for people and can be as simple as helping someone move, clean up a yard, deliver cookies or a meal, or simply visit with neighbors. This season, and this coming year, let’s make sure to remember and care for our neighbors!

Quick Tip: Gingerbread Houses Remix

December 9, 2024December 8, 2024by Nick ManceLeave a comment

We just had our leader Christmas party this past Saturday and it was a blast! We had wonderful food provided by families in our ministry, we spent a good amount of time in fellowship, we shared stories, and played games. One of the games we did this year was a gingerbread house decorating contest.

Now I’ll be honest: we have done gingerbread houses before for both our leaders and students, and here’s what I learned. It takes a lot of prep time, you need to buy a lot more items for decoration including icing, it takes up a lot of time, it’s messy, and it can be frustrating for different teams or individuals.

So when the idea was floated that we should do it again, I’ll admit, I was skeptical at best. But my teammate shared that she had an idea that would make this go over well and by way less difficult than before. And let me tell you, she was right! Our leaders had a blast doing it and their creativity, story telling, and humor was on full display.

Now I know you’re anxiously wondering what we did, so here it is. We did cardboard gingerbread houses. A quick search on Amazon will bring up a variety of styles, sizes, and purchase options for you to choose from. The ones in the link above came with some decor but we quickly realized it wasn’t enough, so we bought more items to go with them. We purchased pompoms, pipe cleaners, stickers, markers, tiny presents (ones for dollhouses), little trees, and fake snow.

We packed up the unmade houses and supplies into baggies for each team and gave them fifteen minutes to build their houses. We then allowed each team to present their house to the judges and the stories we got for each home were just as unique as each of the houses.

All told, we spent less than $150 for 12 houses and additional supplies. We probably could have spent even less if we had shopped for the supplies at a dollar store, but time was not on our side for that. This is a great alternative to spending lots of money on an activity that could get fairly messy and would require significant prep work. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun new, yet timeless, Christmas activity.

Quick Tip: Handling Event Sign Ups

December 2, 2024December 1, 2024by Nick ManceLeave a comment

This year we filled up our winter retreat sign ups faster than we ever have before and with our highest number of people attending. To be perfectly honest, I was pleasantly surprised by this. We have filled the retreat quickly over the past few years but never this fast. We filled all of our spots in less than an hour.

Please don’t hear this as a humble brag or a prideful moment. This is something that we have been working on for a long time and honestly have had to battle pretty hard to accomplish. If you’re like me, you may have had your fair share of struggles when it comes to getting people to sign up for trips, activities, and events, so I want to share with you some of tricks we have used to increase sign ups and fill trips earlier.

Leverage communication.

Communication is so important and necessary. We began communicating at the very beginning of this semester (September) for a winter trip happening in January. We didn’t have all the details figured out, but we knew the dates and the approximate number we would be taking.

So we shared those details with students and families as well as when sign ups would go live and that they were first-come first-served. We continued to send out monthly updates, post on social media, communicate at youth group, and send specific emails to all families as the sign up got closer. The clearer and more concise your communication, the more likely it is to be passed along, remembered, and acted upon.

Generate FOMO.

I’ll be honest: we generate a bit of angst with how we handle our sign ups. We hype up the trip, we post videos and photos, and we push how limited our spots are and how quickly we have filled in the past. We also give our students a challenge of beating our old sign up time.

What we are doing is creating the fear of missing out, which drives students to sign up faster. In fact, this year we closed our winter retreat sign up in forty minutes for a trip that had 140 spots available. When you cultivate a desire, and help students to see the importance of joining the trip, they will instinctively want to sign up as soon as possible.

Build excitement.

Our students love our winter retreat so much, in some ways even more than our summer trips. But that wasn’t always the case. We used to have low attendance for the winter trip, so we worked hard to build the excitement and anticipation for the trip.

We have students explain why their peers should go, our leaders hype it up, we watch recap videos from the year before, we highlight big moments from past trips, and we talk about it a lot. This builds the excitement for the trip, and when students are excited about something they talk about it. And since they are talking about and waiting for it, they are quick to sign up once the sign up goes live.

Tell stories.

We always try to share stories about the activities we have planned. If we are going to our winter retreat we share a hype video, students share about their experiences, and we put up photos on our social media channels with stories from the year before. These generate a lot of excitement and anticipation for what is coming.

Create a challenge and invitation.

I love to give my group a challenge. In fact, at our last winter retreat our speaker challenged every student to invite a friend or two for the following year, and our leadership team ran with that challenge. Throughout the last year we continued to bring up this challenge of growing the number of people we will take to camp and inviting friends. We let them know we believed in them and knew they would rise to the challenge. Our students took this challenge and they ran with it. We saw our numbers increase and first time guests sign up for winter camp.

Utilize a pay scale.

One of the other ways we get families to sign up sooner than later is by having a sliding pay scale. We share that the price of the trip goes up the longer you wait to sign up. Now we don’t raise the price daily, but we do raise it at the end of every week or two by $25-$50. This may not seem like a lot, but when a camp that’s $100 goes to $125 or $150, it generates a desire to sign up sooner so you won’t have to pay the increased cost. When we first started this we still had families who waited but now, we have very few, if any, who wait. They know their student wants to go and they also want to save money so they sign up right away.

Quick Tip: Appreciating Others

October 28, 2024October 27, 2024by Nick ManceLeave a comment

So October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Did you know that? Or did you forget like me? That may be one of the reasons this post is dropping in late October and not earlier.

Now you may have read that and thought to yourself, “Nick, this post seems a little self-serving since you’re a pastor and you’re talking about appreciating people in the month of October.” I hear you on that, but please understand that isn’t the heart of this post. In fact, the point of this Quick Tip is to help us think about appreciating people we work with–our bosses, and our volunteers.

When we appreciate one another well, we are showing people that they are loved, valued, and seen. In ministry circles this is vitally important because there is so much that is given beyond the contexts and demands of a non-ministry job. You don’t really stop working. The calls, texts, and emails are always coming through. People show up at your home unannounced. The weight of what people are dealing with weighs on your shoulders and your family’s as well. The burnout rate for pastors and church staff is astronomically high. And let’s not forget that church staff often aren’t paid well and volunteers aren’t paid at all.

Phew. That’s a lot and we haven’t even hit all the pieces and realities of ministry yet. But when we feel that weight, think about the other people in your life who also feel that. Your volunteers, your staff, your supervisors, your wife, your kids. We may not always get appreciated, but we can appreciate others. Rather than say, “Nobody did anything for me in October,” what if we were the catalyst for change and it started by appreciating others first?

Today, I want to share some ways you can appreciate others and love them well all year long as we seek to care well for each other. Some are practical ways to do this and others are simply suggestions on what to think through.

Think about what you’d appreciate and use that as a metric for caring well.

Sometimes it feels like we just don’t know what to do or what to get for someone else. If you’ve ever struggled around Christmas or birthdays trying to get a gift or card for someone, you know exactly what I’m talking about. In those moments, pause and consider what would make you feel loved, valued, and appreciated.

It doesn’t have to be super specific, but if quality time is what you enjoy, consider taking the individual out for a cup of coffee and listen well. If you enjoy a good book, maybe get one for them (don’t be passive aggressive in choosing the book). If it’s something handmade, think about what you could make them. Using this as a metric will help you practically think through what you can do to appreciate others.

Don’t forget the families.

The reality of working in ministry is that it is often difficult. There are hard times that can wear on ministry leaders. But often, the unseen tragedy is how deeply this affects their families. Spouses carry that weight as they walk with their significant other and try to help them. Children often lose out on time with their parent(s) because the church pulls their parent away.

Ministry leaders can come home exhausted and quality time with their family takes a hit. Families often are all-in at churches and serve in a variety of ways, and never hear “thank you.” In moments like these, it is important to remember them and care well for them. Don’t forget the families. Love them and help them to know they are seen.

Utilize a handwritten note or card.

Sometimes finances are tight, we are in ministry after all. And we may think, “I have nothing to give. What can I do?” The power of a thoughtful handwritten card is undeniable. Think about the last time you got a letter in the mail. How did you feel? It’s exciting, it’s encouraging, it’s life-giving. Taking the time to write a note and encourage someone is extremely powerful and special.

Instead of a gift card, take them out and engage with them.

If you’re financially able, a great way to appreciate someone is not just giving them a gift card but taking them out for a meal or cup of coffee. This shows intentionality and a desire to know that individual. In those moments, we need to remember that the priority is listening to and engaging with the other person. Don’t dominate the conversation and listen well. Take this as a time to grow in your knowledge and relationship with that individual as you care well for them.

Give a personalized gift.

Are you the next contestant on Holiday Baking Championship? Are you crafty and good at creating things? Still got your sourdough starter going? Are you a gifted writer or artist? Sometimes the best gift is one you personalize because you put time and effort into making it for someone. I love to bake and make candles, and I see the joy and happiness those things bring when I share them with others. So think about your skills and hobbies, and ask yourself how you can turn those things into gifts to bless others.

Quick Tip: Remember to See the Good

October 14, 2024October 13, 2024by Nick ManceLeave a comment

Ministry gets hard sometimes. It can be critical comments from specific people. Elders and leadership making passive aggressive statements. Ineffective supervision. Lack of budget. Students not showing up. Burnout. Questioning of calling. Or whatever else is happening in your life or ministry.

Ministry is hard and when life gets hard we tend to become critical, biased, and we assume the worst. We think everyone is against us. Every comment made we take personally. We assume the worst about each situation. We believe our students don’t like us and don’t want to attend. Our hearts become calloused and we question our purpose and calling.

But what if we stopped for a moment and shifted our perspective? What if, instead of assuming the worst and only seeing the bad, we refocused and saw the good? Now I get it, that sounds easier said than done. I do not know your circumstances nor do I know your history. But we serve a good God who created this world and called it good. Yes, this is a broken and fallen world, but there is still good in it.

Instead of focusing on the bad, the frustrations, the tensions, what if you refocused and saw the good? I’m not saying we simply walk through life pretending like everything is okay. Instead I’m advocating for seeing things through a God-oriented lens that helps us to look beyond the tension and see what He sees.

For instance, maybe students weren’t paying attention during your lesson. Instead of being mad or frustrated about that, rejoice in the fact that there were students present. Rather than sit and stew in the comments made by your supervisor, seek to understand and adapt. Even if you don’t see eye to eye, continue to pursue what God has called you to and find joy in what He is doing.

Budgets or lack thereof can cause a lot of tension, but instead of seeing limitations, look to see opportunities and new ways of accomplishing what you’d like to do. Instead of allowing negative or passive aggressive comments to weigh on you, seek out godly and authentic voices in your life and rest in the truth of what they say over the rumblings and grumblings of a few. Remember that you serve God not man, and they will stand before God to give an account.

Another thing to remember as you look to see the good is to consider what good are you providing. We have an obligation to be doing good because God has called each of us to be purveyors of the Good News and to love others as He does! Therefore, we need to make sure that even if others aren’t doing or seeing good in us, we still need to be doing good and seeing good in others (yes, that includes even those who don’t do or see good in you).

Often when things aren’t going our way or difficulty abounds, we can become negative and only see the bad and wrongs in our world, our church, and in people. But when we refocus our eyes, minds, and hearts on what God’s heart is all about, it guides us back to what we should be doing: loving God and loving others.

When we focus on doing and seeing good, it re-frames how we approach things. It reshapes how we engage with others. And it reshapes our heart in a way that mirrors our Savior’s. This is not easy. Not at all. But when we approach life and relationships in this way, when we strive to see and do good as a reflection of Jesus, trust me when I say that you will begin to grow and mature in ways you have never experienced. Don’t give up, don’t get weighed down; look for the good and trust God in the process.

Quick Tip: What to Look For in Volunteers

September 30, 2024September 29, 2024by Nick ManceLeave a comment

I don’t know about you but recruitment is hard sometimes! This year we only had to get a handle of new leaders but it feels like we struggled to find them and we still haven’t filled all the gaps.

In these situations it may seem easy to just take the next warm body, but that can be problematic for a litany of reasons. Instead we need to be selective and intentional in who we bring in to walk with and disciple our students.

Today, I want to share with you some key things to look for when you are searching for new volunteers, but keep in mind this is not all-inclusive. Things like meshing well with co-leaders, passing background checks, being on the same page doctrinally, and many other pieces matter. This is simply meant to be a quick checklist as you begin to interview potential volunteers to make sure they could fit within the context, vision, and expectations of the ministry.

Know their faith story.

When you meet someone make sure you know they have a relationship with Jesus and are tracking with Him. There are times we may be tempted to not ask those questions for a variety of reasons, but having clarity on this is key as they are leading students to be followers of Jesus. It is also a good idea to ask them if they could share the Gospel with you so you can gain an understanding of their knowledge and comfortability on that.

Don’t look for clones of yourself.

This is key, and I cannot stress this enough: your ministry does not need more yous. It needs a variety of personalities, backgrounds, gifts, and faith stories because your students are not clones of you. That means they relate to other people differently and perhaps better than they do to you.

So stacking your team with a variety of people with strengthen your ministry and allow for your students to grow and flourish in ways you haven’t seen before. As a brief aside, even with differences make sure there is still unity, teamwork, and collaboration. Don’t sacrifice those things to simply bring in different people.

Look for heart and passion.

Heart and passion are things you cannot teach someone. Skills like leading with another leader, teaching, listening well, and running games can all be taught. Listen for why they want to serve and what their desires and purpose are for serving. This will help you to know the individual, their heart, and their rationale for serving.

Seek alignment with the vision and mission of the ministry.

I’ve talked with many people who have wanted to serve with students but their values and ours did not align. I’ll never forget when a potential volunteer stated that the purpose of being a leader was to talk at students and for them to listen to all of the leader’s knowledge. That individual wasn’t joking either. When I began to share our philosophy and vision they self selected and said “I don’t think this is for me.” And they were right.

Our vision and theirs did not align and if there isn’t alignment that can and will cause future issues to develop down the road. I’m not saying people can’t change, but be willing to investigate and see if there is any flexibility or opportunity for growth in order to ensure alignment on key aspects.

Find people who are excited about Jesus and students.

This should go without saying but we want people who love Jesus and are passionate about Him and who also love students! When those two pieces come together, you will start to see immense growth among your students as they are being loved and discipled in the way Jesus has intended. Why? Because we are modeling the metric that Jesus gave to us: love God and love people. When we do this well we start to see life change happen!

Seek those with a willingness to grow and help others grow.

Looking for people who are learners and want to grow in their knowledge and wisdom is key to having a successful ministry. Look for people who are willing to engage with topics, come to training sessions, and learn new things. But also look for people who will help others to grow because of their knowledge, background, and skill sets. You are building the strength of your ministry by having these individuals on your team and that will help your team better minister to your students.

Quick Tip: Having Personal Boundaries

September 23, 2024September 15, 2024by Nick ManceLeave a comment

Have you ever been interrupted on your day off with something from work? Do you answer phone calls at all times or do you keep boundaries? Do you struggle to figure out what takes priority when you aren’t in-office: family or work concerns?

Please don’t hear me as being critical because I’m not. I get it. For many years I didn’t have healthy work-life boundaries. I tried to convince myself that I did but it took a mental health leave of absence to realize that I didn’t. I used to check emails and respond to them on vacation. I was always checking social media. If texts came through, I’d respond.

It was all-consuming even when I had convinced myself it wasn’t. And for those who serve in ministry, we will often struggle with finding a healthy balance. We know our calling and we care for our people, but that cannot be our only focus nor should it be. Today, I want to share a few quick ways to have healthy boundaries.

Remember the order of your priorities.

You are called first to focus on your relationship with God and your holistic health, then to focus on your family, and then focus on your ministry. When these priorities are out of order you will find yourself out of sorts as well. And when these are left in an out-of-order scope and sequence, you will find yourself fully depending on you, not on God, and your boundaries being stretched further and further.

Utilize “do not disturb” and turn off notifications on your devices.

Removing the interruption of electronics is one of the best things you can implement to help incorporate healthy boundaries. This doesn’t mean you’ll never respond, but it does remove the tension, anxiety, and pressure that comes with always being connected. When you utilize these features, you can be fully present in the moment and with those who matter most.

Take work apps off your phone.

This may be easier said than done for some because it may be a requirement. Technically a job cannot force you to have apps on your phone unless they are paying for said phone, but enough about technicalities. My point here is this: if the apps are keeping you focused on work and pulling you away from intentional moments with those closest to you or keeping you from truly resting and taking a sabbath, that is a problem. Instead, take them off of your phone or at the very least turn off the notifications. And yes, that goes for your work email too.

Screen calls and texts.

No matter what, there will be times you get calls and texts, even on your day off. But not every call or text necessitates an instantaneous response. Instead use wisdom and discernment to diagnose which calls or texts warrant a response, and decide how quick those responses should be.

Talk about and make your boundaries clear.

This is something I wish pastors and ministry leaders did more often. We must regularly and openly talk about our boundaries. If we are calling people into a holistic life-changing relationship with Jesus, we should be modeling that not just in action but also in our speech. We need to talk about how we are creating margin and looking to refresh and take sabbath because that shows our people how important it is. This then gives them permission to do the same. It also helps our people to understand that while we love and care for them, we cannot be all things to all people; only Jesus can be that. What you are doing is highlighting personal, relational, and spiritual boundaries that allow you to create rhythms and margin to be the holistic pastor and shepherd you need to be.

Quick Tip: When & How to Refer Out

September 16, 2024September 15, 2024by Nick ManceLeave a comment

We’ve all experienced a moment when we have had a student ask us a question or we are faced with a situation we don’t know how to handle. Whether we aren’t equipped or trained to handle it, or if it’s due to a lack of understanding or life experience, we have all faced this in some capacity.

But let me ask you a question: when you were in that moment, how did you respond? Did you do your best to give some type of reasonably decent advice? Did you frantically consult your commentaries or Google? Did you pull out a passage of Scripture like Jeremiah 29:11? Did you consider referring the student or circumstance to someone else?

Hear me out: I know there are circumstances and situations that warrant our immediate attention regardless of training. But what I am talking about is referring or deferring when necessary. In many cases this is not just the best option but an amazing resource and help to you and all those involved.

So what are some ways to help us refer to the individuals, ministries, and resources that will help those we are shepherding?

Know your community.

When you know what resources and capabilities are available in your community it affords you the knowledge you need to help others. Consider connecting with local hospitals, clinics, and mental health facilities as well as local doctors. You can also connect with local first responders, teachers, food distribution agencies, and support networks that help students.

Build relationships.

As you get to know your community, you’re building relationships that allow you to know the available resources and how they can best help your people. It also allows you to best see which people and organizations align with your church and ministry. As you build those relationships, you are also building a rapport that allows for you and your ministry to have a deeper relationship and opportunities for help with your resources. Building relationships allow for you to not only know your community but also to show them that you value and appreciate them.

Utilize resources in your churches.

Church congregations include individuals who are qualified in many different skills and careers that can be extremely beneficial to helping your ministry. Assistance may also come from other ministries that your church offers like a food or clothing bank, a financial assistance ministry, or even counselors in your church. Students may need a variety of resources and the more you are aware of what your church offers and who is within it, the better equipped you will be to serve your people.

Acknowledge your areas of expertise and growth.

When you know your skills and limitations, it helps to frame what agencies and resources you most need to connect with to help your people. So take an honest assessment of yourself and then seek to grow your network accordingly.

Continue to grow and educate yourself.

As you know your skill sets, seek to grow in the areas you aren’t as strong in. This doesn’t necessarily qualify you in all moments, but it helps you to continue to grow and care well for your people.

Quick Tip: Have Fun

September 9, 2024September 8, 2024by Nick ManceLeave a comment

There have been moments on a Wednesday night or Sunday morning for me when all I can see are the tasks, objectives, and the schedule. I can get hyper-focused on trying to get things accomplished and staying on task that I just lose sight of the bigger, more important aspects of student ministry. One of the things I can miss is “having fun.”

I can blame this on my personality (I am an I/C in the DISC) or a litany of other things, but I know the nights I miss out on the fun because it feels like things just didn’t work. When we miss out on the fun, we miss out on relational opportunities, conversations, and bridge-building moments with our students and leaders. When we have fun it makes us more approachable and relatable to our students.

It’s easy to get caught up with accomplishing all the tasks and focusing on any of a variety of circumstances that demand our attention. But should we miss having fun in our career and ministry, we will surely miss out on the beauty of what God has called us to.

So in thinking about having fun, here are few key things to remember:

Laugh often. Tell jokes, laugh at yourself (especially when you get spiked on in 9 Square), be willing play with your group, and smile often. The more you laugh, the more fun you’ll have.
Don’t take things or yourself too seriously. Yes, you are a leader and yes, you are entrusted with walking with your students and volunteers, but remember the relationships are key here. That means while you can take your job and calling seriously, you don’t need to do the same to yourself. Keep approaching students at their level, don’t be so pulled back they can’t relate, and be willing to just be a part of your community.
Be willing to be yourself. Students don’t want or need someone who isn’t being themselves or is trying to emulate another person. They want you, and you are unique and special. So bring your personality, your humor, and your joy to the table. When you can be you, you can truly have a blast!
Remember who you work with. Students are hilarious! If you didn’t know that, here’s a friendly heads up. They say and do things that are absolute hysterical, whether it was intentional or not. You never know what they will say or do and that leads to some memorable moments that will make you laugh (maybe even out loud).