The purpose of this post is twofold. I wanted to fill you all in on my trip to Beloit but also reflect on my time as an undergrad. Without any further ado, here it is:
As I sit here at J.F.K. International Airport in New York, New York, I am experiencing this weird mix of emotions that I almost can't find words to describe. I am on the last leg of my whirlwind trip to Beloit, Wisconsin. I'll be arriving back in Portland, Maine around midnight tonight. I am tired but excited. Anxious and terrified. And a whole host of other things. I guess you probably all know (at least if you've been following my blog) that I went to Beloit for a job interview. I interviewed for an Area Hall Director position at Beloit College.
My journey began at Portland Jetport on Wednesday morning. My first ever flight. I was terrified and thought that at some point I would surely vomit everywhere. Alas, I held it in and survived. It helped that I met a very friendly stranger while waiting for the plane. She was a psychologist going to Charlotte, NC. to visit some friends. We talked about my life, her life, our trips, good books, human behavior, and so on. Thank you, Susan - I hope you enjoyed your time with your friends! We boarded the plane and departed Portland for Charlotte on time. Take-off was horrifying. I HATE heights. But once I was up in the air, I didn't care at all. I fell asleep for a good chunk of the flight and woke up when we were beginning our descent. When we landed I thought we were going to die. Landing is my LEAST favorite thing about flying. I'd almost rather jump out with a parachute.
I had plenty of time to get to the gate for my next flight to Chicago, IL. This plane was much bigger than the first and took forever to board and get going. The flight was great, the landing was not. The next thing I know, I'm at Chicago O'Hare and completely confused. Literally no idea where I was or where to go. Luckily, I was able to follow signs and asked a nice security guard how to get to the bus terminal. From there, I waited a short bit then hopped the Van Galder Express to South Beloit, IL. and was met by Jeremiah, a current Hall Director at Beloit. Jeremiah was a hoot and I can't think of any better introduction to the school and the town. We drove about seven minutes and were in Wisconsin! The town of Beloit is beautiful. It's like a small city complete with a Wal-Mart, Pizza Hut, great shopping opportunities, and even a Buffalo Wild Wings (coming soon!) We got to the school, which is just as beautiful as the rest of the city, and made it to the Guest House and got all checked in. From there, I met Nadir, a current RA who took me on a campus tour. It was a blast.
Shortly thereafter, I went and toured one of the Hall Director apartments, which was pretty nice, by the way, and went to dinner with Jeremiah, Sarah, and Matt, three current Hall Directors. That was a great time and the food was delightful! I then returned to my room and crashed.
Today began at 6:30am when I woke up to get ready for my interview, which began promptly at 8am. It was a great interview that was split up in different blocks with several different people. I started the day with the support staff for Student Life. They were both very entertaining and proved a great way to wake up and get my head in the game. From there, I went to meet with the Hall Director Selection Committee, comprised of Sarah, the Assistant Director of Residence Life, Jeremiah, Hannah (a current Hall Director) and several student staff. I then went on to meet Christina, the Dean of Students, several Student Life staff members, Sarah again, and John, the Director of Residence Life. From there I went to have lunch with a group of current RAs (who were a hoot, by the way!) and then departed for the bus station. I hopped the Van Galder Express once more and arrived at O'Hare before I knew it (probably because I fell asleep.)
I barely made it to my flight as the bus came in a little late due to some traffic. Before I knew it, we were in the air on the way to JFK. And here I sit. A three hour layover seemed like the perfect time to fill everyone in. I feel very good about the way the interviews went (and I'll know about the job by mid-week next week, hopefully!). I don't know what I'll do if I get an offer - I'll have to do a lot of thinking in the next few days. I'll let you know how it all turns out.
But now it's time for the second part of this rather lengthy post. As I reflect on my journey to Beloit, it makes me think about my journey to get where I am now. So I wanted to take a minute to just recap my undergrad and thank some of the most influential people I have ever met.
When I started college at Southern Maine Community College four years ago, I had no idea where life was going to take me. I thought I wanted to be a teacher. I imagined myself going home every weekend. Little did I know, I would fall in love with the college lifestyle. The second semester of my first year, I applied to be an RA. I was so excited to jump into the position and help students feel "at home." However, I didn't get the job. I was, however, given an alternate position. Luckily, a position became available a few weeks in and I was asked to step in. I couldn't be more thankful for this.
My time at SMCC was such an important developmental period for me. I learned a lot about myself and began to pursue things that would make me happy. I worked as an RA for the rest of my time there, including the Summer in between my first and second years there. I would like to take a minute to thank the amazing Student Life professionals that helped me find my passion and who encouraged me to pursue it in my future. Katie-Rose, Jessica, Tiffanie, Shane, and Deirdre - I have no idea if any of you will ever see this, but I want to say thank you. You were all such positive and wonderful role models for me. I can't begin to tell you how special you are to me. I am also so thankful to my friends at the bookstore who always put up with my shenanigans and loved me just the same. Thank you Cherie, Kat, Patti, Tien, and Leo! You guys are great!
It wasn't just my supervisors who profoundly influenced me and helped shape me into the person I am today. I made some wonderful friends in my time there. Becca, you were my first TRUE friend at SMCC. I'm so glad we awkwardly talked to each other after Mary Jo's class. You have always been there for me when I needed something or someone to talk to and I know that I could call you up any time and you would still be there. Thank you for everything. Andrew, Kayla, Cody, Ryan, Morgan... basically everyone on my staff that last year I was there... thank you for everything. While we had some rocky times, I still see us as a big dysfunctional family and great friends. I have to say that I am grateful for everyone I met in my time there. You all helped shape me in a way that you could never know.
In addition to all of this, I also found my passion for Psychology. I dove into it at SMCC and changed my major when I went to UMF. I couldn't be happier with that decision. While I'm not going into the field after graduation, all of what I have learned has made me a better, much more cognizant person and much more capable of helping others and myself.
When I transferred to the University of Maine at Farmington, I was beyond ready to tackle my last two years of college. However, I imagined them to drag on and on. Much to my surprise and dismay, they flew by. It seems like just yesterday that I arrived on campus and moved into Mallett Hall. My lovely roommate Adam was a peach. I was lucky to have such an amazing companion for my time in Mallett. I had started working in the Center for Student Involvement when I first got there. That job proved to be much more than just a job to me. The office became like another home and the staff like another family to me. I am exceptionally thankful to Maya, who gave me my start and supported me every step of the way. I love you, girl! <3 From there, I applied to be a CA and was hired for my second semester. This has been both the most challenging and most rewarding thing that I have experienced in my four years of undergrad. I am so thankful for both the good times and the not-so-good, for they have helped me learn so much about myself and gave me the motivation to stand up for what I believe in. I have had some amazing supervisors who have helped me every step of the way. Thank you Janice, Christina, Melissa, Robyn, Beth, Brian, and Lauren. I wouldn't be the Student Affairs Paraprofessional that I am today without you.
I have so much left to say, but so little time! I have to board for my last flight - so check back later for more!
Cheers,
-S.
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