I’m going on an adventure!.
Bilbo Baggins
Analogies have always been a helpful tool for me as an individual, therapist, and educator. For the past 14 years, I have been looking at my life as an epic adventure like the brave hobbits, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. If you are unfamiliar, The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955) are classic works of high fantasy written by J. R. R. Tolkien about the world of Middle Earth inhabited by humans, elves, dwarves, hobbits, wizards, orcs, trolls, and dragons. I developed a framework to help myself and others achieve their goals using tools one would need on an adventure using The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as an analogy of sorts. Allow me to indulge you with some background and then I will give you my tools for success.
Growing up, school was incredibly challenging for me. Often, I felt lost and scared to ask for help thinking people would be mad at me. I remember writing a paper on The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien during my senior year of high school. In my mind, my teacher said something along the lines that unlike Bilbo Baggins, my paper didn’t go on any unexpected journeys. I can imagine he was disappointed because he knew I could do better, and he wasn’t wrong. I was far too afraid to write anything other than a basic plot summary. When I went to college the following year, I was wildly unprepared for the challenge and promptly failed out. While I was ashamed, I promptly picked myself up and went back home. I was mostly happy with the life I was living. Although, like Bilbo Bilbo, a part of me longed for adventure.
Later in my life, I found myself in a classroom or sorts at a low point in my life while living in North Carolina. The teacher of that class gave me an opportunity to take classes at the local community college in Raleigh, NC. I was scared….terrified even. But I made the choice to listen to the adventurous side of me. I recognized that the actions I took my first attempt at college did not work, therefore I needed to do something different. I followed suggestions of others especially during courses, exams, and writing papers. It was helpful! During my first year of taking classes, I took a math class. I got a low score on one of the first exams. I worked diligently to come up with ways to understand and remember the concepts. I put the Quadratic formula to the music of Super Mario Brothers and The Legend of Zelda themes so I could memorize it. I ended up getting a perfect score on the final exam. That reminded me when Bilbo killed the spider in Mirkwood without the help of the dwarves or Gandalf. It was the first time he recognized his bravery. It was actions like that that gave me the courage to leave my comforting surroundings in NC and head to the University of Delaware to complete my bachelors.
While my journey didn’t have hobbits, dwarves, elves, wizards, a Gollum, or a dragon – I did have myself, friends, family, mentors, self-doubt, and fear. I would have been lost without the people around me to help when I felt lost, unsure of myself, and scared. It was a regular occurrence that my support network helped me in a treacherous battle. I did, however, recognize the difference between being brave to ask for help and being brave to complete a task myself. Over time….something magical started to happen…
People started asking me for help. They could see what I was doing was working for me and they wanted to see if they could work for them, too. So, I started giving people the same suggestions that had been given to me. People started to regard me as someone to go to for assistance. I was…and still am…shocked that people come to me for help. I keep thinking, “One of these days they are all going to find out I have no idea what I am talking about.” And in the ten years I have been doing this…that day hasn’t come.
After graduating from UD, I completed three graduate programs at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania with the goal of helping people realize and actualize their goals. I liken that journey to the Lord of the Rings series. Quite possibly the most challenging (and rewarding) time of my life. I had to take every skill I previously learned and steadfastly apply it to that journey. Having a fellowship of people to encourage me on my journey was paramount on those challenging days when all I wanted to do was give up. My dissertation advisor reminded me constantly that he would help me as much as he could, but that there were parts of this journey that I needed to do alone. That was a painful truth. Samwise Gamgee says in the movie The Two Towers, “There is some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for,” just like my support team reminded me that there was a purpose behind all of this struggle. And in true poetic bliss, the day I found out my doctoral research was complete was the same day canonically that the One Ring was destroyed in The Return of the King (March 25th). And as I waited for the Eagles to carry me to safety, I wept in relief and gratitude.
In the movie version of The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf says “A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.” I often think of my senior year teacher who was disappointed in my lack of adventure. Then I think of my instructor in North Carolina who offered me the opportunity to go on an adventure. And then I think about my dissertation advisor who supported me on the most epic of adventures. It is clear to me that each of these educators played the role of Gandalf at different parts of my life. They knocked on my door and asked me to go on an adventure with them. Ultimately, it was my decision to go and I am forever grateful they kept knocking even when I was too scared.
And now I am the educator and I recognize that mentorship is a large part of my role. I want to help my students grow not just as scholars but as individuals, as well. Now, let me put on my Gandalf wizard hat and say, “all you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” Are you ready for an adventure? Let’s go!
Map
“Maybe the paths that you each shall tread are already laid before your feet, though you do not see them.”
Galadriel , The Fellowship of the Ring
Maps provide us context for our surroundings, such as our location and our surroundings. And context is important. They can be a helpful guide that lets us know what we can reasonably expect on our adventure. Your syllabus is the map. If you are lost, always refer to the syllabus. You will find lots of helpful information on the syllabus that can help provide you with context. In the instance you don’t see something on the syllabus….ask a question. Sometimes there are rare hidden treasures not on the map. Plot twist!
Compass
“Don’t adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story.”
Bilbo Baggins, The Fellowship of the Ring
Compasses provide us with directionality towards certain parts of the map on our adventure (North, South, East, and West). These directions are unchanging and will extend off the map. I look at those directions like our personal values that are going to help us in all academic endeavors. For me, authenticity, bravery, dedication, and curiosity are four values that have helped me on my academic journey. Here are a list of basic values for you to identify yours.
Route
“The Road goes ever on and on,
Frodo Baggins, The Fellowship of the Ring
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.”
When we decide where we are headed in a trip, it is best to figure out the best route. Personally, I like Waze. It will anticipate obstacles and offer suggestions on how to best avoid them. And you get points for alerting others about obstacles on the road! Succeeding in a class is like using some kind of GPS application. Take all your different maps for the semester (i.e. syllabi) and put them in front of you. Our goal is to make one route, not five. Using a spreadsheet making software or just a piece of paper, make a list of your assignments. You can even use the spreadsheet to organize all your assignments chronologically. Cross off your assignments as you complete them. As the weeks pass, you will start to see how much progress you have made. It may feel overwhelming at first, but it will be more doable as the semester proceeds. This is one example that is helpful for me, but there are plenty of other assignment trackers you can use. Please use whatever method works best for you. Here is a Youtube example of the method I like to use.
Obstacles
“It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish…”
Samwise Gamgee, The Fellowship of the Ring
As you navigate your route, you will likely start to see obstacles. For instance, you might have two exams in one day or two papers due in the same week. Augh! When I saw things like that on my route, I looked for areas that were not as congested and moved flexible assignments earlier or later. Your professors will always be happy to receive an assignment early, but lateness is frowned upon. You will need to communicate with your professor about an extension on an assignment. And more often than not, my professors were happy to oblige on certain assignments that could be flexible. Try to accommodate for obstacles for yourself before you approach your professor.
ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival)
“Short cuts make long delays.”
Pippin, Fellowship of the Ring
Rule of traveling: Traffic jams, delays, and detours happen. Make sure to account for that. It would realistically take me one day and fifteen hours to drive to Los Angeles, California from Wilmington, Delaware. That is not counting stopping for gas, bathroom, food, sleep, and sightseeing. I would need to give myself more time to realistically and safely get to LA. Same thing applies for coursework. Be realistic with how long assignments will take you. Don’t wait until the last minute to start.
Fellow Travelers
“You can trust us to stick with you through thick and thin — to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours — closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo.”
Merry, The Fellowship of the Ring
My mother always used to tell me, “Edward, stick with the winners.” Now, I don’t like the winner/loser mentality, but I do appreciate the spirit of the message. Who are the people in your life who are headed in the same direction as you? The Fellowship in the Lord of the Rings weren’t always together, but they were all working towards the same goal…to defend Middle Earth from the evil of Sauron. It is important to have at least two to three people that you can turn to when you need some support. They can also help proofread your papers because sometimes we are blind to our own mistakes. Don’t forget that your professors can sometimes be your biggest supports. Go to their office hours, ask questions, maybe even help them with one of their research studies! If you are afraid to talk to them, just know that they are here to help. Trust me!
Asking for Directions
“Not all who wander are lost”
Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring
We are likely going to feel lost at some point along our journey. That is to be expected. Sometimes we are not going to understand an assignment or a reading or feel really jarred after getting a low grade. When that happens, stay where you are and check your map. If you still find that you don’t know where you are, reach out to your professor. They are the first person who can help you find the light, so to speak. You can also ask someone else who is in your class or the teaching assistant. One other resource I have found very helpful in my academic success is using the writing center. I am a proud member of the “Writing Center Frequent Flyer” club. Writing is not one of my strengths, so I frequently went to someone who has that strength.
