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Student Life Staff Blog

Student Life Staff Blog

Together Remotely – Staff Spotlight: Victoria Adams

Now more than ever, it is important that we stay connected to one another. The Student Life Staff Development Committee has launched Together Remotely, a series of posts to help staff across the Division of Student Life keep up with each other and share their experiences, successes, and stories during these extraordinary times. We hope that these posts can in some way brighten your day, give you a great idea, or just help you to feel a little more connected.

Content is staff-generated, informal, and open-ended… and we need more! To submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.

Staff Spotlight: Victoria Adams

Victim Advocate, UW Police Department

Self Care Activities

What have you been doing to take care of yourself and unwind?

I’ve been trying to be physically active throughout the day — even knowing the extensive literature connecting physical activity to improved mental health as well as my own benefits from it, I had been extra lazy with everything going on. I found getting on a schedule helped: around noon I do boxing circuit training and after work follow along to yoga videos (after being a lifelong skeptic). Another really great way to build in physical activity is to participate in Seattle’s Dance Church remotely.

Giving Back

Information about organizations or causes you have been able to support.

Local orgs like Organization for Prostitution Survivors, API Chaya, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, Seattle COVID-19 Mutual Aid, and national orgs like Abolitionist Mutual Aid Fund, Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights, and Justice for Migrant Women.

Read/Watch List

What entertainment content are you binging or finding interesting currently?

Mrs. America, Unsolved Mysteries, Jeopardy, Alarmist podcast, You’re Wrong About podcast, constant reread of Bluets by Maggie Smith, and I made a syllabus of theory-heavy academic papers relevant to our current times (happy to send it to anyone!).

Connecting with Community

How have you stayed in touch with friends, family, and other communities?

Masked and social distance-friendly walks with nearby friends, making playlists for people.

Thanks for reading! Remember, to submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.

Together Remotely – Staff Spotlight: Jannah Maresh

Now more than ever, it is important that we stay connected to one another. The Student Life Staff Development Committee has launched Together Remotely, a series of posts to help staff across the Division of Student Life keep up with each other and share their experiences, successes, and stories during these extraordinary times. We hope that these posts can in some way brighten your day, give you a great idea, or just help you to feel a little more connected.

Content is staff-generated, informal, and open-ended… and we need more! To submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.

Staff Spotlight: Jannah Maresh

Director, Parent & Family Programs

In the Kitchen

Share favorite recipes, go-to snacks, or other culinary creations.

Snacks: TJ Takis and Cheetos con Limon — I eat it after I work out, and I also eat it when I am sad but only during the DAY TIME!!!

Favorite Goo of the Moment: Calabrian Peppers (I’ve been adding them to my cream cheese for a spicy bagel sandwich).

Rice or Ramen with Pork Belly, Garlic Chips and Bok Choy: Make instant ramen (fancy ramen from Whole Foods), get pork belly from Trader Joe’s (in the box), slice and toast garlic chips, and toss bok choy in sesame oil and soy sauce — and then share and eat!

My last meal on earth will be roasted chicken by Jacques Pepin.

Oh and did I forget to mention that I love coffee and chicken wings and Negronis and brut Rose — I am doing ok, I swear!

Self Care Activities

What have you been doing to take care of yourself and unwind?

See Kitchen answers above: I do intermittent fasting and working out — I can do five normal pushups before my knees reach the floor, my planks are better, and ride by non-Peloton bike — no judgment just LOVE our quiet indoor Schwinn. I am trying to get through my book list — currently, I am reading Machines Like Us by Ian McEwan.

Kids & Animals

Stories, adventures, and other content related to your tiny or non-human companions.

I am childless and dogless — but my husband is like a large adult child.

He walks me some days. I walk him other days — we are good human doggies for each other.

We’ve been enjoying my daily walks, where we talk about our fun day at work. We are both working from home so we are grateful to have the ability to have defined work spaces and only see and interact with each other during coffee breaks.

Giving Back

Information about organizations or causes you have been able to support.

I have been actively volunteering for UW Medicine to accept PPE donations, which I have continued to do weekly. I also gave blood and will continue to do so. I have also reached out to local small businesses, newsrooms and newspapers in Seattle and Los Angeles about the following grants from Facebook:

Read/Watch List

What entertainment content are you binging or finding interesting currently?

RuPaul’s Drag Race and the soon to be Celebrity RuPaul’s Drag Race is currently keeping me in a steady happy mental state.

I am a public radio/TV kid so I love PBS Newshour, Fresh Air, Sam Sanders, Pop Culture Happy Hour and Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me.

Cheeky podcasts — The Read.

Book list — currently, I am reading Machines Like Us by Ian McEwan. Next is FranKissstein by Jeannette Winterson.

Music — I cannot live without music, but I am intentionally watching music documentaries every Monday — I love Homecoming, Nina Simone and Oasis Supersonic — I have watched each at least 3X.

I am looking forward to Quincy, Amy Winehouse and LCD Soundsystem’s last concert — and I’m looking for more 90s BritPop, HipHop and RnB docs.

Connecting with Community

How have you stayed in touch with friends, family, and other communities?

My families in Los Angeles and Connecticut have been very concerned about our living in Seattle — so they have gone through every platform from FaceTime, FB Messenger, Instagram, Zoom, but it’s been fun to use Marco Polo and Houseparty.

Work from Home Hacks

For those working from home, what are you doing to increase productivity, functionality, or overall happiness at your work station?

I took it upon myself to accentuate my surroundings buying flowers and put up the art on my walls — so that my Zoom backgrounds look interesting. Pink wireless headphones and aggressively making sure that I am dressed for work, because I am using fashion as a crutch!

Professional Development

What resources for continued growth and development have you been taking advantage of?

All of the ABOVE things are keeping me professionally developed, and staying in touch with our UW community!

Thanks for reading! Remember, to submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.

Together Remotely – Self-care Activities

Now more than ever, it is important that we stay connected to one another. The Student Life Staff Development Committee has launched Together Remotely, a series of posts to help staff across the Division of Student Life keep up with each other and share their experiences, successes, and stories during these extraordinary times. We hope that these posts can in some way brighten your day, give you a great idea, or just help you to feel a little more connected.

Content is staff-generated, informal, and open-ended… and we need more! To submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.

Student Life Staff Self-care Activities

THE PROMPT: What have you been doing to take care of yourself and unwind?

Ashlee Norris

Operations and Accounts Manager, Housing & Food Services – Student Services

Reading, coloring, watching movies, crafting, FaceTime with family.

Danny Arguetty

Mindfulness Manager, UW Recreation

  • Bath with Epsom salts (2cups) and essential oils
  • Foot massage with coconut oil
  • Coloring (mandala) intricate patterns
  • Watching stand up (laughter boosts immunity)
  • Small movement breaks throughout the day (if you want guidance go here)
  • Gratitude journal
  • Mailing cards to friends

Deanne Liu

Conduct Officer, Community Standards & Student Conduct

Goal for May: the 5 Minute Journal.

I used this journal when I was a Resident Director and it was crucial to gathering and remembering joy. I remember my heart swelling one evening, and I think it made all the difference in my work life balance. I’m excited to try it again during this time when work and home life are again mixed up.

Glenna Chang

Associate Vice President, Student Life

Heather Robertson’s channel on YouTube for exercise videos that will kick butt. Plus, she doesn’t talk.

Jannah Maresh

Director, Parent & Family Programs

See my Quarantine Kitchen answers: I do intermittent fasting and working out — I can do five normal pushups before my knees reach the floor, my planks are better, and ride by non-Peloton bike — no judgment just LOVE our quiet indoor Schwinn. I am trying to get through my book list — currently, I am reading Machines Like Us by Ian McEwan.

Meghan Matthews

Access Coordinator, Disability Resources for Students

Lots of walks, sitting in the sun, cooking, Netflix, virtual game nights with friends and family, reading, and sleeping in! Learning how to use my Vitamix to make more smoothies!!

Natasha Hawkins

Program Coordinator – Operations, Housing & Food Services – Residential Life

I have never had the patience to learn how to sew, however it has always been on my bucket list. The surplus of isolation hours has provided me with the patience and time to start some very easy sewing projects, and it has been very rewarding.

Tera Figueroa

Administrative Specialist, Shared Services

Online Yoga and Strength Training + Netflix.

Victoria Adams

Victim Advocate, UW Police Department

I’ve been trying to be physically active throughout the day — even knowing the extensive literature connecting physical activity to improved mental health as well as my own benefits from it, I had been extra lazy with everything going on. I found getting on a schedule helped: around noon I do boxing circuit training and after work follow along to yoga videos (after being a lifelong skeptic). Another really great way to build in physical activity is to participate in Seattle’s Dance Church remotely.

Thanks for reading! Remember, to submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.

Together Remotely – Staff Spotlight: Glenna Chang

Now more than ever, it is important that we stay connected to one another. The Student Life Staff Development Committee has launched Together Remotely, a series of posts to help staff across the Division of Student Life keep up with each other and share their experiences, successes, and stories during these extraordinary times. We hope that these posts can in some way brighten your day, give you a great idea, or just help you to feel a little more connected.

Content is staff-generated, informal, and open-ended… and we need more! To submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.

Staff Spotlight: Glenna Chang

Associate Vice President, Student Life

In the Kitchen

Share favorite recipes, go-to snacks, or other culinary creations.

Self Care Activities

What have you been doing to take care of yourself and unwind?

Heather Robertson’s channel on youtube for exercise videos that will kick butt. Plus, she doesn’t talk.

Kids & Animals

Stories, adventures, and other content related to your tiny or non-human companions.

Let’s just agree not to apologize for a small person interrupting a zoom call, shall we? Also, we have rediscovered the joy of a backyard campfire.

Giving Back

Information about organizations or causes you have been able to support.

Staying steady with our philanthropy to UW Student Life, Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets, the Mountaineers.

Read/Watch List

What entertainment content are you binging or finding interesting currently?

The Daily podcast. Because I don’t spend enough hours in a day with ear buds in.

Connecting with Community

How have you stayed in touch with friends, family, and other communities?

Lots of zoom calls with family and friends. Cross-country cooking projects with friends.

Professional Development

What resources for continued growth and development have you been taking advantage of?

This isn’t exactly an answer to the question, but I have been so grateful for and humbled by the strength, flexibility, and compassion exhibited every single day by our colleagues in our division. I grow by watching all of you.

One More Thing

Spider origami! Because why not…

Thanks for reading! Remember, to submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.

Together Remotely – Quarantine Kitchen (Round 1)

Now more than ever, it is important that we stay connected to one another. The Student Life Staff Development Committee has launched Together Remotely, a series of posts to help staff across the Division of Student Life keep up with each other and share their experiences, successes, and stories during these extraordinary times. We hope that these posts can in some way brighten your day, give you a great idea, or just help you to feel a little more connected.

Content is staff-generated, informal, and open-ended… and we need more! To submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.

Student Life Staff in the Kitchen

THE PROMPT: Share favorite recipes, go-to snacks, or other culinary creations.

Glenna Chang

Associate Vice President, Student Life

Jannah Maresh

Director, Parent & Family Programs

Snacks: TJ Takis and Cheetos con Limon — I eat it after I work out, and I also eat it when I am sad but only during the DAY TIME!!!

Favorite Goo of the Moment: Calabrian Peppers (I’ve been adding them to my cream cheese for a spicy bagel sandwich).

Rice or Ramen with Pork Belly, Garlic Chips and Bok Choy: Make instant ramen (fancy ramen from Whole Foods), get pork belly from Trader Joe’s (in the box), slice and toast garlic chips, and toss bok choy in sesame oil and soy sauce — and then share and eat!

My last meal on earth will be roasted chicken by Jacques Pepin.

Oh and did I forget to mention that I love coffee and chicken wings and Negronis and brut Rose — I am doing ok, I swear!

Meghan Matthews

Access Coordinator, Disability Resources for Students

Lately I’ve become a big fan of zucchini noodles! This recipe is amazing!

Tera Figueroa

Administrative Specialist, Shared Services

Protein Fluff Recipe

  • Melt chopped dark chocolate with sunbutter and just enough milk to cover a small glass container.
  • Heat for 30 sec in the microwave.
  • Let sit for 1-2 min, then stir until mixed.
  • Add 1/2 tablespoon of protein powder.
  • Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Good for days, but I guarantee it won’t last that long! Add fluff to pancakes, fruit, or just eat straight with a spoon (my personal favorite).

Thanks for reading! Remember, to submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.