The Student Affairs New Professional

Friday, October 27, 2006

Tryin' to Get Paid-Post 4

Post 4 by Tryin' to Get Paid

Mood: It's Fall Break, and I'm on shutdown mode
Music: Talib Kweli "Listen"

Well, well, I'm sure the folks at studentaffairs.com have been wondering (or not) where I have been. It's been a crazy couple of weeks here on campus, but now it's Fall Break and most of the students have left for a couple of days of rest and relaxation...who am I kidding? Most of these folks are still here, they just party all night and sleep all day. The only thing missing in their routine is making their 1:00 "Feminism and socialism in post-modern North America" lecture. At least I get some rest after last night's Halloween dance. Our staff decided to dress up like KISS (I voted for Prince and the Revolution...that'll be next year), and we were a hit with the students. I'll continue to be a hit, thanks to a picture of me circulating around Facebook (it's not obscenely bad, but I don't look my Sunday best...damn technology).

Even though I've been here a couple of months, I'm finally starting to get the hang of things around here. I've finally figured out the budgeting process, where most of the campus partners' offices are, and gotten to know some of the wonderful faculty members here. I'm even getting out of my apartment and seeing some of the sights in the town. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago, I had Ethiopian food for the first time, and it was SOOOOOO good! Tonight, I'll have Jamaican food (I might try some grilled goat, depending on how adventurous I feel) and I might hit the new theatre of performing arts too. I am starting to feel at home here, and that feels wonderful. I can definitely see myself here for a while, and that's something I didn't think I would say during my job search.

And, I have learned one lesson...it doesn't matter if the students traveled the world, cheer on Chelsea FC (appartently they're a popular English soccer team), or protest against the war in Iraq...they still can act like 18 year old kids. At first, I was really awed by these students' knowledge of world issues and tenacity to change the reality they live in. However, as I settled down, I began to realize that these kids were prone to the developmental challenges everybody has in college, and I am starting to become more adapt in using those theories I learned in grad school to better help them. One student organization wants to promote "artistic pornography", and other student group tried to bring in a Hollywood producer to speak without contacting their advisor...which would be me. As much as a headache these situations would be, I'm finally getting the hang of working here, and it feels great.

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