Navigating life transitions into – and within – the UW
Maintenance staff in Shops 14 and 16 gather every day at the break room in the Southwest Maintenance building. Misty Shock Rule/University of Washington
Transitions can be hard. When I first moved to Washington, I went from living in a house in my hometown to sleeping in a powerboat that leaked from the roof above the sleeping area. As I lay awake listening to drops of water plopping on my pillow, I had plenty of time to think about the choices that led me and my new girlfriend, now wife, to this strange new place.
That move was six years ago. The latest of my hard transitions was a year ago, going from being a stay-at-home dad with an infant son —now two-and-a-half — to working as a maintenance carpenter at the University of Washington.
When my wife first showed me the job posting a year and a half ago, I was skeptical. Yes, it was close by (walking distance). Yes, the pay and benefits were fair. And yes, I would be in a work environment with the possibility of having co-workers. But I had gotten very attached to being with my son every day for a year. It has been difficult adjusting to not only having most of my time taken up by work, but also not spending that time with him.
One thing that has made that transition easier was the camaraderie that I found in our shop break room. In the break room, we share musical tastes, good food and stories over coffee. During these breaks, I get the opportunity to talk with my co-workers about the transitions they have made and why they chose to work at the University.
L-R: Eugene "Cody" Callahan, Chris Henrichsen, Megan Harris and Alex Ramirez
I talked to Alex Ramirez, a mason in Shop 14, about moving from the private sector, where he felt obligated to work long hours and missed out on time with his family. Alex explained how he needed a change in his career and how he thought that the UW job would fulfill his hopes for a more balanced schedule.
“Working in the private sector you often have one job. And you have to work there from start to finish, and they’re always pushing you to get a lot of things done because they are under a deadline that always seems to get shorter and shorter,” he said. “[So far] working here, I do have more energy to come home and interact with my kids, family and dogs.”
Breaking away from the high stress of big construction, Alex found a little peace here at the UW as well as more time with his family.
One of the hardest things about transitioning to a new job can be saying goodbye to co-workers you love. I talked to Megan Harris about what it’s been like adjusting to her new job as a Program Coordinator and the reasons why she left a good-paying biotech job where she had made some really good friends.
“[In my job hunt], I even retracted some of my applications because I was so sad about the idea of leaving my old co-workers,” she said.
But the biotech company was reluctant to sign her on permanently and give her the opportunity for full benefits, which led her to apply to the UW. While Megan keeps in touch with her old mates via a text thread, she is hopeful that she’ll make new friends here at the University.
Sometimes transitions are necessary. Chris Henrichsen, a plumber in Shop 14, is in recovery. When talking about the progress he has made, Chris beams with energy and excitement. He is proud of his recovery milestones and tells me he couldn’t have done it without the help he got from the University.
“My life was falling apart in measured doses of chaos until I finally got to a point where I said to myself, ‘Hey, I need help’,” Chris said. He has a tremendous amount of gratitude for the University benefits, which gave him the latitude to navigate a tricky time in his life, as well as the warmth and support he got from his UW Facilities co-workers.
I had noticed how open and honest Chris was about his experience with substance abuse in the break room, and I wondered where he got the courage. Chris explains to me that his case was unusual because he was always so high functioning. He was able to keep his addiction a secret, so when he finally sought recovery, he needed to come out and let his co-workers know who he really was.
“I needed to delineate the old me from the new me and let it all out,” he said.
Chris is at peace today, and he doesn’t have to hide his story or who he is here in our shop.
Now, when I get home from work, I'll ask my son how his day was and he'll have a story to tell: He made a rain stick with his daycare teacher Ashley or he played dinosaurs with his best friend Luna.
I still miss that time with him but I'm glad he's getting a new experience and can share that with me.
I’ve heard somewhere that change can be like a heavy wool sweater over bare skin, irritating and uncomfortable at first, until you forget you’re wearing it. This past year and a half has challenged me in more ways than one. But getting the opportunity to reflect on those challenges with some new friends has softened up the rough and scratchy bits of a new transition.
Eugene “Cody” Callahan is a carpenter for the UW’s Southwest Maintenance Zone.
