I just got back from a ridiculously crazy 36 hours. Oi. Not 20 min ago, we had a welcoming event for the international students and we played all sorts of games like wheel chair basketball, badminton, taught them how to throw an American football (one of the more popular stations. obvi.), ate pizza, showed them around, hula hooped and salsa danced. Whew! Now to relax. Until tomorrow. Yay.
But it's officially the beginning of the semester around here at Salukiville! Freshman have begun to move into the res halls and at the Rec we're busy trying to recruit and market our services to the little babies. They're just so stinkin cute, all bright-eyed and naive. That'll change fast. But it is cool to see them flood into the town and campus, it definitely takes me back to my first days as a college freshman.
Sweet, sweet nostalgia.
Even though we're super busy and I still am taking pre-req courses (gag!) the GA's (graduate assistants) did take some time out yesterday to go camping.
Camping???
Yes. Camping, like no electricity, just you and nature and dirt and bugs and sweat and did I mention bugs??
It was a chance to get to know the other GA's more and to really build our team and it was pretty much required so I had to go. Don't get me wrong, I love the outdoors, but I don't love the creepy-crawly things that live in the outdoors.
But it turned out to be one of the coolest camping trips I had ever been on. And it was only for 18hours.
We didn't just camp. Oh no. That'd be way too easy. We started off the day doing a Sky High Ropes Course. Picture this: You are in a full body harness, straps EVERYWHERE, and you're attached to these cables that are 25-40 feet in the air and you're going through obstacle courses like tight wires, and climbing on ropes, and zip-lining all up in the trees. You pretty much feel like Tarzan up there and it is so incredibly COOL. But it was such a hard work out. Oh my gosh...my arms are like noodles and I have calluses on my hands that are hella gnar-gnar but it was so so so so much fun! A totally awesome challenge and really adrenaline pumping as you try to walk a tight rope 30+ feet in the air and then you look down and go "Oh shit. Like oh my god oh shit oh shit why why oh shit."
I can't wait to go back and do it again!
After we finished monkey-ing around (see what I did there?? Ha.) we canoed on this lake to get to our camp base. Yeah. Canoed. Like Pocahontas style. (I totally sang Just Around the River Bend and it was a total hit. Look for me on iTunes soon.) After me and my canoeing partner quit going in circles and got the hang of it we made it to this campsite and it was beautiful. We were on a side of a hill in the middle of the forest, not your average camping site. It led to a landing where it was obvious a few camp fires had been built before. There were these rock ledges next to the lake we jumped off of and went swimming, and we stayed in tents on the lovely, buggy, really hard and twiggy ground.
But it was so incredibly awesome and I got to know the other GA's way more and I finally felt included and apart of something. We made foil burgers and smores over the campfire and learned about the surrounding area and just how cool Southern Illinois really is with all of it's recreational attractions. Don't be surprised if I become an avid backpacker, mountain climber, pretty much on par with Bear Grylls. (Ok, be really surprised but I definitely will go camping again!)
Then after it got dark, our guide started to get a bit more serious. He talked about how long the land had been there, how long humans had roamed the earth and how our past, present and future are not separate entities, it's all interconnected like a braid. He then made us reflect on how we got to that exact point in our lives. What little things or choices brought you to be sitting right there, listening to him talk by the campfire in the forest.
Well, *awkward laugh* let's see it all started in when I was born...
Jk.
But we go around the circle and people are opening up about their past, their mistakes, their choices and decisions and it's getting really deep really fast.
Whoa. Hold up. Time out. I'm still home-sick and haven't even unpacked fully, I'm not ready to talk about all this.
But then Ryder tells his story about how he had gone down all these different career paths and then finally ended up here and he was happy. You could see it, he was so thankful to be right there with all of us and truly happy to be at SIU. And then the other kind of leader of our group, Mike, talked about how he too took some time and finally realized that this is it, this is his passion and this is what he loves. He doesn't fill like his work is work, he enjoys it, and is happy too. But what really got to me was that everyone struggled at some point. The major theme across the board was that everyone was unhappy at one point in their life.
When it was my turn to talk, I had already thought about what I was going to say, but none of that came out. I planned on saying just how I was glad to get into rec, had some good mentors, made a tough decision but I'm here and we'll see how it goes. But no. I didn't say that. You ever wonder why we even bother with planning like that? Or how when it's your turn the words just fly out out of your mouth like you have no control? Yeah. That happened.
I realized that a lot of them had already had their bad days and now they were living the good. But my story was different. Ya I had a minor hiccup freshman year but this right now is my hard time. And I know exactly what those hardships are.
Every day I have to go up against prejudices about being a woman in a man's world. Every day I have to go up against predisposed notions that I'm just a dumb blonde. Every day I have to go up against what is considered the status quo here and act like it's not totally foreign to me. A lot of people don't think I can make it.
I am not allowed a bad day because then they win. They get to say, I knew she couldn't do it or I told you so. I refuse to allow them such satisfaction.
But right then at that moment I was surrounded by people who were in my corner. Right there, around that campfire, all of them could empathize and all of them want me to succeed.
So I told my story.
My story is kinda long so I'll keep it short. I had a pretty bad freshman year at Davis. I couldn't find my niche, and my grades were poor too. My best friend turned out to be anything but a best friend and I was not at all happy. But then I saw a kid from my floor reffing a soccer game. I asked him how he got the job and that led me to officiating IM basketball. I fell in love.
My life made a complete 180 and I found not only something I enjoyed but other people who enjoyed it too. I became confident in myself and my skills and soon that officiating job led to a promotion, supervisor. And that led to another promotion of manager. Soon Campus Rec became my life and I lived and breathed it. I would work instead of go to class but I wasn't struggling (as hard) anymore. My bosses became my mentors and they led me to the path towards becoming a GA. But I was never really fully committed to becoming a GA. I was into political science and apart of me wanted to go to Law School. I was so conflicted in fact that I often would call my dad and talk pros and cons of each over and over again trying to decide which path to take. His advice was more or less, put your options on the wall, close your eyes and throw a dart. Thanks Pops.
I went to Las Vegas to the NIRSA National Convention and got the job with SIU. I left some amazing mentors and bosses to up and leave to a new state, a new life and new people you have to rely on is scary. Actually terrifying.
But I am excited and looking forward to working here. The other GAs have been supportive and we've only just begun.
My story may not have a happy ending with me being completely content with my life right now, at this moment.
But I'm getting there. And I can't see the future but I can tell that it's bright.
We ended the night by making luminaries, where we put little candles into paper bags that we had written our goals on. (picture Tangled style floating lights minus the floating) For now, tomorrow, 2 weeks from now, or 30 years from now.
I wrote 'Be happy'.
And we lit our candles and gazed at the stars.
To be continued.
Sweet, sweet nostalgia.
Even though we're super busy and I still am taking pre-req courses (gag!) the GA's (graduate assistants) did take some time out yesterday to go camping.
Camping???
Yes. Camping, like no electricity, just you and nature and dirt and bugs and sweat and did I mention bugs??
It was a chance to get to know the other GA's more and to really build our team and it was pretty much required so I had to go. Don't get me wrong, I love the outdoors, but I don't love the creepy-crawly things that live in the outdoors.
But it turned out to be one of the coolest camping trips I had ever been on. And it was only for 18hours.
We didn't just camp. Oh no. That'd be way too easy. We started off the day doing a Sky High Ropes Course. Picture this: You are in a full body harness, straps EVERYWHERE, and you're attached to these cables that are 25-40 feet in the air and you're going through obstacle courses like tight wires, and climbing on ropes, and zip-lining all up in the trees. You pretty much feel like Tarzan up there and it is so incredibly COOL. But it was such a hard work out. Oh my gosh...my arms are like noodles and I have calluses on my hands that are hella gnar-gnar but it was so so so so much fun! A totally awesome challenge and really adrenaline pumping as you try to walk a tight rope 30+ feet in the air and then you look down and go "Oh shit. Like oh my god oh shit oh shit why why oh shit."
I can't wait to go back and do it again!
After we finished monkey-ing around (see what I did there?? Ha.) we canoed on this lake to get to our camp base. Yeah. Canoed. Like Pocahontas style. (I totally sang Just Around the River Bend and it was a total hit. Look for me on iTunes soon.) After me and my canoeing partner quit going in circles and got the hang of it we made it to this campsite and it was beautiful. We were on a side of a hill in the middle of the forest, not your average camping site. It led to a landing where it was obvious a few camp fires had been built before. There were these rock ledges next to the lake we jumped off of and went swimming, and we stayed in tents on the lovely, buggy, really hard and twiggy ground.
But it was so incredibly awesome and I got to know the other GA's way more and I finally felt included and apart of something. We made foil burgers and smores over the campfire and learned about the surrounding area and just how cool Southern Illinois really is with all of it's recreational attractions. Don't be surprised if I become an avid backpacker, mountain climber, pretty much on par with Bear Grylls. (Ok, be really surprised but I definitely will go camping again!)
Then after it got dark, our guide started to get a bit more serious. He talked about how long the land had been there, how long humans had roamed the earth and how our past, present and future are not separate entities, it's all interconnected like a braid. He then made us reflect on how we got to that exact point in our lives. What little things or choices brought you to be sitting right there, listening to him talk by the campfire in the forest.
Well, *awkward laugh* let's see it all started in when I was born...
Jk.
But we go around the circle and people are opening up about their past, their mistakes, their choices and decisions and it's getting really deep really fast.
Whoa. Hold up. Time out. I'm still home-sick and haven't even unpacked fully, I'm not ready to talk about all this.
But then Ryder tells his story about how he had gone down all these different career paths and then finally ended up here and he was happy. You could see it, he was so thankful to be right there with all of us and truly happy to be at SIU. And then the other kind of leader of our group, Mike, talked about how he too took some time and finally realized that this is it, this is his passion and this is what he loves. He doesn't fill like his work is work, he enjoys it, and is happy too. But what really got to me was that everyone struggled at some point. The major theme across the board was that everyone was unhappy at one point in their life.
When it was my turn to talk, I had already thought about what I was going to say, but none of that came out. I planned on saying just how I was glad to get into rec, had some good mentors, made a tough decision but I'm here and we'll see how it goes. But no. I didn't say that. You ever wonder why we even bother with planning like that? Or how when it's your turn the words just fly out out of your mouth like you have no control? Yeah. That happened.
I realized that a lot of them had already had their bad days and now they were living the good. But my story was different. Ya I had a minor hiccup freshman year but this right now is my hard time. And I know exactly what those hardships are.
Every day I have to go up against prejudices about being a woman in a man's world. Every day I have to go up against predisposed notions that I'm just a dumb blonde. Every day I have to go up against what is considered the status quo here and act like it's not totally foreign to me. A lot of people don't think I can make it.
I am not allowed a bad day because then they win. They get to say, I knew she couldn't do it or I told you so. I refuse to allow them such satisfaction.
But right then at that moment I was surrounded by people who were in my corner. Right there, around that campfire, all of them could empathize and all of them want me to succeed.
So I told my story.
My story is kinda long so I'll keep it short. I had a pretty bad freshman year at Davis. I couldn't find my niche, and my grades were poor too. My best friend turned out to be anything but a best friend and I was not at all happy. But then I saw a kid from my floor reffing a soccer game. I asked him how he got the job and that led me to officiating IM basketball. I fell in love.
My life made a complete 180 and I found not only something I enjoyed but other people who enjoyed it too. I became confident in myself and my skills and soon that officiating job led to a promotion, supervisor. And that led to another promotion of manager. Soon Campus Rec became my life and I lived and breathed it. I would work instead of go to class but I wasn't struggling (as hard) anymore. My bosses became my mentors and they led me to the path towards becoming a GA. But I was never really fully committed to becoming a GA. I was into political science and apart of me wanted to go to Law School. I was so conflicted in fact that I often would call my dad and talk pros and cons of each over and over again trying to decide which path to take. His advice was more or less, put your options on the wall, close your eyes and throw a dart. Thanks Pops.
I went to Las Vegas to the NIRSA National Convention and got the job with SIU. I left some amazing mentors and bosses to up and leave to a new state, a new life and new people you have to rely on is scary. Actually terrifying.
But I am excited and looking forward to working here. The other GAs have been supportive and we've only just begun.
My story may not have a happy ending with me being completely content with my life right now, at this moment.
But I'm getting there. And I can't see the future but I can tell that it's bright.
We ended the night by making luminaries, where we put little candles into paper bags that we had written our goals on. (picture Tangled style floating lights minus the floating) For now, tomorrow, 2 weeks from now, or 30 years from now.
I wrote 'Be happy'.
And we lit our candles and gazed at the stars.
To be continued.
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