PERSPECTIVE OF A FIRST YEAR PROCTOR

by the PCC Journalism Staff

We all have had the experience of being a first year student at PCC, being away from home and not knowing anyone or knowing what to expect. But what is it like to be a first year proctor? The Journalism class sat down with first year proctor Ms. Elman to find out.

Ms. Elman attended the program in 2013 and 2014. “The friendships and mentorships I made with proctors when I was a student made me want to come back and be a proctor,” she said. Ever since coming here she wanted to be a proctor. “Ms. Brainard and I used to call ourselves Proctors-in-Training.” This summer, after completing her freshman year of college, she applied to be a proctor on a whim and was excited to get the call from PCC telling her that she was hired. “It was my birthday when they called me,” she explained.

She said it feels good to be back and seeing kids experiencing the same things she experienced as a student. “I also like seeing how some things have changed.” When asked about her goals for her summer, she said it was to help kids bond, become friends, and better themselves. “All of my goals are centered around other people,” she told us. She wants to create a positive environment for the kids here and help them become their best selves.

At first she was nervous; before move-in she was given a roster of the students on her hall, but there were no faces to go with the names. She had no idea what to expect, but knew she wanted to give back. “As soon as the kids got here, it felt like we’d already been here forever,” she said. She immediately felt comfortable, and the first week has been amazing.

Ms. Elman also pointed out that returning proctors have been very welcoming and helpful. “It’s nice to have them as a resource,” she said. There aren’t any proctor cliques, so she felt comfortable around everyone.

Her least favorite part of being a proctor is the lack of sleep, but even that is worth it she said when she sees all the fun the students are having. The heat this week has also been difficult. “I’m spending a lot of money on Gatorade,” she said laughing. “But I’m also being very conscious of making sure the students are drinking enough.”

She has so many things she is looking forward to, but mentioned seeing her hall bond and the students in her classes bond. She is also looking forward to the “Under the Sea” dance, because the costumes will be great and it is a theme they don’t have every year.

Ms. Elman is currently interning in the Journalism and the Forensic Science classes. “I wish I had taken Journalism as a student,” she told us. She is also PCC’s Social Media Specialist, a new position this summer. “Follow us on Instagram and Twitter, @pccasp!”



-with additional reporting by Jack Foley