What I Do For A Living

People are usually beyond shocked when I tell them I still live on campus. The initial panicked look is "dang, it is taking you 12 years to finish your degree?!" Nope. I got my degree in the now atypical four year span back in 1996-2000. I went on to get my Masters in Highed Education. In what? Higher Education. Basically, the study of college students, university settings, leadership, etc. Seriously, it is a degree, and an amazing one at that. After my masters I went on to work at Hiram College in Ohio. Never heard of it you say? That is what makes it great. TINY village, two stoplights, and one convenience store. It was wonderful. We continued to live on campus there while I began my career, a career I continue today.

So what is an average day as a community coordinator? That is what I love. There are no average days. Last night I had meetings with two different students, I ran a staff meeting, and watched the Red Sox. The Red Sox was a legit part of my job. Us New Englanders can get silly at a big win, like with bonfires. (Un)Fortunately, they lost, so with a cuss all my student went to sleep, as did I. Today, I had only one student meeting. I did gobs of administrative paperwork, but ended my day with arts and crafts. I made a whole bunch of banners for upcoming programs with paint markers. I even pretended to be a marketing expert and put my (lacking) computer skills to the test with media design.

What else? Well, tonight I will type up interview questions for a meeting tomorrow. Next week I need to run to the store to buy 25+ pumpkins for the students to carve. On the 30th I will be dressing up like Tigger and handing out candy to the students rooms.

Some days, my job is hard. The day, two years ago, that I had to tell a group of friends their friend was killed by an 11 time drunk driver. Or, the days I need to tell someone that I think they are a remarkable person, but that the choices they are making mean they can't keep being a college student right now. Or the parent, who in all good intentions, intervenes on behalf of their 21 year old and never lets that 21 year old develop their own conflict mediation skills. Or the days that my students are really upset about something, and I just can't make it better.

Foruntately, even on those days there is a program to plan, a banner to paint, or a costume to wear. I can't really tell you what I do for a living, I just hope that I make my students experiences just a little bit better everyday in mostly ways they will never know. Now, where did I put those paint markers...