RUNNING HEAD: ANALYTICAL REFLECTION PAPER 1

Analytical Reflection Paper

Eric Glasby
Northern Illinois University
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Introduction
My digital story described my journey as an undergraduate student at Northern Illinois

University. Within my undergraduate student experience, I transitioned from entering NIU as a

music education major to changing my major to communications. The results of this transition

impacted me both positively and negatively as a student. Nancy K. Schlossberg (2011) has

researched and written about transitions that impact college students. I utilized Schlossberg’s

transition theory to understand my own transition at NIU. In this paper, Schlossberg’s transition

theory will be defined, we will discover the impact of my transition within my undergraduate

student experience, and how Schlossberg’s transition theory can be applied within student affairs

practitioners work.

Definition of the transition theory

Schlossberg’s transition theory (2011) has been researched by Nancy K. Schlossberg for

over 35 years. This theory is defined as “any event, or non-event, which results in changed

relationships, routines, assumptions, and roles” (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). This

change can have intended or unintended impacts on a college student. Within my digital story,

my transition was changing my major from music education to communications. Self-perception

is key with this theory because the transition has to be defined by the individual who is

experiencing the transition (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). I considered this a transition

for myself because as a student, my academic routine was greatly changed. I no longer would be

a music major and stay within my home, the school of music.

A transition is made up of multiple factors that included how an individual the type,

context, and the impact (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). The context for me as a student

included that I had to process my changing identity as a musician. I experienced one type of

transition, there are others. Types of transition included are anticipated transitions, unanticipated
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transitions, non-events (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). An anticipated transition is

defined as a predictable type of transition (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). An

unanticipated transition is defined as not schedule or spontaneous (Patton, Renn, Guido, &

Quaye, 2016). A non-event is defined as an expected moment does not happen for an individual

(Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016).

Processing a transition

The context of a transition is defined as the relationship the individual has to the change

and the environment from the transition (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). This context

from the transition that creates stress for that person (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). For

myself, I went through a major environment change. I changed my major which meant I would

leave the school of music and enter the greater community of NIU. This had me experience

several factors of transition (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). These factors are known as

situation, self, support, and strategies (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). These factors are

also known as the “The 4 S’s of Transition” (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016).

Each category emphasized certain actions that would affect the student going through a

transition (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). Situation considered the trigger, timing, who

has control, and other factors (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). Within my experience from

my transition, my trigger was finding a passion for student affairs and academically struggling in

core music classes. I did not feel like I had control because as a student I feared getting a bad

grade from my instructor. Self has the factors of personal characteristics and psychological skills

(Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). An example of Self would include the consideration for a

person’s identified race or ethnicity and the psychological skills included perspective, outlook,

and commitment (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). For me, myself characteristics was that
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I had a lower socioeconomic status than some of my music counterparts in the school of music.

This made affording school more of an expensive and difficult to pay tuition at times.

Impact of my transition

I was inspired to change my major because I had discovered the career of student affairs.

I entered Northern Illinois University to study with my violin instructor named Mathias Tacke.

Mathias Tacke was known to be a great instructor and helped his students network. I enjoyed

my lessons and I improved my performance skills on the violin from his teachings. The

challenge I faced was with my music theory and aural skills classes. Our classes were in a track

system. If you did not pass, you would have to wait to year to retake the course. I did not pass

these courses twice. My transition was impactful because it changed my career direction.

Within my academic struggles, I found the support from my hall director, orientation

staff, violin instructor, and my academic advisor. This helped me learn about myself and cope

with the news that I would not be passing my core music classes (Schlossberg, 2011). My

relationships helped me process my decisions and I identified my core challenges. This included

finding scholarships to continue my education, to identify a new major, and to get accepted to

graduate school for student affairs (Schlossberg, 2011). These conversations helped me process

that this was an unanticipated transition (Schlossberg, 2011). This was not an unanticipated

transition because I did not predict that I would not pass my music class (Schlossberg, 2011).

Both instances, I did not pass by less than one percent with my overall grade.

Schlossberg (2011) researched and found that “Pearlin and Schooler classified coping

strategies as those that try to change the situation” (p. 161). Schlossberg (2011) continued and

stated that there is no single coping strategy to help reduce stress, rather there is a needed

flexibility to to use multiple strategies to better cope (p. 161). This is how my mentor’s helped
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me process my transition. I was concerned and scared about changing majors. I felt I was

abandoning my original dream of becoming a violin teacher. My hall director helped me to find

coping strategies that included reflection, meditation, and finding other activities that increased

my confidence (Schlossberg, 2011). These strategies helped me to manage my feelings and

refocus my energies (Schlossberg, 2011).

Another way my mentors helped me process was they helped me to find resources and

helped me to identify where I was in the transition process (Schlossberg, 2011). I was able to

track my process through this process because of consistent conversations with my mentors and

self-reflection (Schlossberg, 2011).

Application of schlossberg’s transition theory

Schlossberg’s transition theory was pivotal within my development as an undergraduate

student. The support network I created while attending at NIU helped me be able to get the

resources I needed. This allowed me to be able to graduate and pursue my dream of becoming a

student affairs professional. The components of this theory could help other student affairs

practitioners. This includes helping their students is understanding the coping processes when

under stress (Schlossberg, 2011). Also, having their students define their own transitions and

identify needed resources to be successful (Schlossberg, 2011).

A resource that would help student affairs practitioners would be Schlossberg’s transition

model (Schlossberg, 2011). This Schlossberg’s transition model defined what is a theory, the

types of meanings that a student will perceive as the transition (Schlossberg, 2011). How to cope

and define the process and consider strategies for success (Schlossberg, 2011). This resource can

a student process their transitions in a successful manner. To apply this transition model, having
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consistent interaction with students (Schlossberg, 2011). The environment would require

creating a safe space for open conversation and to help student’s process (Schlossberg, 2011).

Another way would be to apply this transition theory in an upperclassmen residence hall.

The coping mechanisms and the strategies management can help graduating seniors transition

successfully to life after college (Schlossberg, 2011). This mean learn new skills like mock

interviews, communication skills, internship opportunities, networking opportunities

(Schlossberg, 2011). This could all be accomplished through programming within the halls.

Coping is required within this theory and many students graduating college because it can help a

student manage a situation, any triggers, timing, and other events (Schlossberg, 2011).

Collaborating with campus partners can help students find solutions and implement their own

strategies to find success after graduation using this theory(Schlossberg, 2011).

Conclusion

In summary, I went through a positive transition within my undergraduate student

experience. We defined and utilized Schlossberg’s transition theory as a framework to

understand my undergraduate transition. My transition was when I decided to pursue a career in

student affairs. This experience was an unanticipated transition (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye,

2016).

I coped with my transition and processed through my hard work in my scholarship search,

utilizing campus resources to switch to become a communications major, and my dedication to

my communications studies (Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016). I found success through

when I graduated with my bachelor’s degree and entered into a graduate program into student

affairs. Schlossberg’s theory is a theory that can help other students like me. This theory can
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help student affairs practitioners help students cope and succeed through their transitions within

their collegiate experiences.

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References

Patton, L., Renn, K., Guido, F., and Quaye, S. (2016) Student development in college; Theory,

Research, and Practice. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass

Schlossberg, N. (2011). The challenge of change: the transition model and its applications.

Journal of Employment Counseling 48(1), p. 159 – 161. Retrieved from

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