At the beginning of my freshman year of college, I started looking for an on campus job that could help me make connections on campus and pay some bills. I was hired on at the classroom testing center on campus as a proctor shortly after starting my first semester. The responsibilities of a proctor include fulfilling receptionist duties such as answering the phone, keeping the front desk tidy, and checking in students and giving them directions. When in one of the testing labs, the proctor’s job includes monitoring the testers, answering questions, and ensuring honest testing practices.

After having a few years under my belt working at the testing center, I have become a more efficient worker while under stress as well as a leader to the younger hires. On any given day, in the ten hours the center is open, we could test more than one thousand students in our 120 seat center. These days could cause tension for both students and proctors, due to the formation of a line and non-stop testers. I have learned the art of staying calm in these situations, which benefits not only me but everyone else. Angry testers are also a frequency and I have become better at communicating with upset people in a manner that helps diffuse the situation and create a solution. For example, when testing large cohorts who are loud and unwilling to listen, it is easier to treat them with respect than to use a condescending tone. Although I have learned these lessons in a workplace, these are very much applicable to real world scenarios and have helped me have a more professional demeanor.