Tell Me More by: Stephanie Atienza ‘12

Some of the best of the class of 2012

Picture this… it’s a typical Monday morning at USD around 9:30am and I walk in to Mandy’s office for our usual catch up session. I tell her stories about the themed dance we had, what was going on with my friends, and how classes were going. Now, if you don’t know me, I talk very fast. I continue talking miles a minute trying to paint a picture of my life’s events to Mandy when she stops me. She gives me a look of curiosity and says, “Tell me more.” If you are one of Mandy’s students you know what look I am talking about and you have maybe even heard that line once or twice.

                                                                                                

Being naive I chuckled and just thought she was saying, “okay Stephanie tell me more,” because she either didn’t want to believe what I was saying or found humor in the happenings of the Greek bubble at USD.

Little did I know that Mandy’s famous line she often said to me, in fact was also Number 14 on Forbes list of “40 Things to Say Before You Die.” Every number on the list has a little drawing and a short line about it. Number 14 had a chart with an arrow pointing to the words ignorance and curiosity. Under “Tell me More,” it read, “Really getting to know someone (or some topic) will help you better triangulate your own place in the world.”

Now this really got me thinking and had me go back to those talks Mandy and I had in her office. What was Mandy really saying to me when she said, “tell me more?”

I realize know that she was not having me explain myself so she could have a better understanding, but instead she was asking so I could better understand myself. “Tell me more,” was her way of getting me to think about the situations and relationships I was in. Whether it was something silly like “Mandy we got locked out of our house last night,” or something more personal like, “Oh Mandy I haven’t talked to him/her in two months,” Mandy’s saying was helping me dig deeper.

Usually following “tell me more,” Mandy would ask me questions and help me take a step back and really take a look at what I was sharing with her. Reminding me to look at the big picture of things, she helped me grow as a person, realize my self worth, and learn that I didn’t have to put up with things that I didn’t agree with or made me unhappy.

I was lucky enough to work with Mandy as one of my Advisors, but through my four years she also became a trusted friend and a loved mentor, who was continually helping me grow, whether I knew it or not.

Now I’m not saying that just by asking for more information, you will suddenly be enlightened and have all of your answers; however, I am encouraging you to ask questions and dig deeper into your personal like and in the topics that interest you.

Just like Mandy taught me, by learning more about the things, people, and situations in your life, you in turn learn more about yourself and ways you can grow. So the next time someone is telling you a story, I challenge you to say to them, “tell me more.” You never know what answers you’ll find.

#14. “Tell me more.”

Really getting to know someone (or some topic) will help you better triangulate your own place in the world.