The expression "what a difference a day makes" comes to mind when I think about the progress the Campus Coalition for Sexual Literacy at Indiana University has made since the last time I blogged about our CCSL chapter. Feeling pessimistic, disappointed, and filled with doubt and confusion, I had little hope for the progress that our CCSL chapter could make. But, many steps have been made sense the start of this semester, including the actively planning for our Sexual Literacy Fair and the initial planning for our upcoming Regional Training.
In early January, as suggested by our chapter’s advisor, we held a CCSL Representatives Lunch, where we invited members of various sexuality-related organizations and departments to hear about sexual literacy and to take part in our group’s work. All but a few organizations attended, and most of those representatives have continued to be involved in CCSL since our lunch. At the lunch, a number of ideas were suggested, including a Sexual Literacy Fair, sexuality-related leadership training for undergraduate students, and putting together a sexual literacy panel for classes, among others. Soon after our lunch, we held the first planning meeting for our Sexual Literacy Fair.
After a somewhat frustrating back-and-forth with the room reservation office, we were finally able to get a room for April 1st for our fair (though we were originally aiming for early March). No matter the date, things are coming together quite nicely, and I suspect it will be a success. I am a bit concerned that it is a mere week before our April 9-10 Regional Training, but the closeness will allow for last minute advertising for the training. March will certainly be busy with planning!
Before closing, I want to note my change from pessimism to optimism – which reflects such a larger shift for me beyond the progress of CCSL at IU. Although the staff at NSRC have always been encouraging and supportive, my sense of accomplishment with CCSL was constrained by my own interpretation of the group’s progress. By selling the progress the chapter had made short, I only saw where the chapter had yet to progress, and, unfortunately, I fear that my own pessimism limited the extent to which CCSL could progress. Now, optimistic about CCSL’s progress, my concern is that I’m thinking too small! For example, in briefly chatting with the chapter’s advisor about the upcoming Regional Training, the number of ideas he rattled off let me know that I was not aware of just how big the training could be, given the existing resources that are available at Indiana University. What a delightful problem to have, to realize that one is not thinking big enough about sexuality-related opportunities!
Here’s to a successful semester at Indiana University!
