Res. Life and the City #1- Meeting Needs

"That's the thing about needs. Sometimes when you get them met, you don't need them anymore." ~Carrie Bradshaw

First things first: It feels good to be back! To re-cap, this is "Pick Me-Choose Me-Hire Me" from last semester. However, I've decided to change my moniker for a few reasons. First, the school I am at now really did pick me, choose me, and eventually hire me, so the name seemed a little out of date. Second, while I love Grey's Anatomy more than most people, the quotes are pretty much all about angst and unrequited love and other Emo-like things. While this vibe was perfection for the job hunt, I wanted something a little more upbeat to start off my professional blogging. Finally, I am now actually living in a city! Hooray for me!

Although I may not be taking classes (which I am extraordinarily sad about...more in another post), I really can't get away from reflection. I guess it was drilled into me so much for the past two years, that it is truly hard to just abandon. Therefore, I decided to drudge up my first post from last year and do a little compare and contrast about what I wanted in January compared to what I now have in September. Should be interesting!

-I want to be able to drive to the beach in no more than 30 minutes. CHECK!

-I want to work with interesting, diverse, and engaged students. CHECK!

-I want to be part of a department that is full of fun, hardworking, dedicated, and hilarious people. Absolutely check!

-I want to live in a fun place. This means more restaurant choices than McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and the local pizza place. -My new environment is the epitome of fun!

-I want a cool atmosphere, a good martini bar, and if I want to go to a museum or see a show. -Not a problem at all, which I loooooove.

-I want to be able to bring my cat with me and then get a dog so my live-in accommodations will need to be pet-friendly. -Ah, at last a flaw. Unfortunately, no pet accommodations, but that can be a goal while I'm here, right?

-I want my department to offer same-sex partner benefits. While I identify as straight, I’m also an ally so I don’t want to work at a place where there isn’t housing equality. -Hooray! Even though my new school is uber-religiously affiliated, they are all about domestic partnerships!

-I want my supervisor to not just supervise me, but also be a mentor. Does this make me high maintenance? -My supervisor has surpassed my expectations so far and I think they will continue to do so.

-I want a place that values personal and professional balance. -Wellness Days, a Division-wide basketball league, and Happy Hours all tell me that this won't be a problem.

-I want a nice apartment. Call me vain, but I want an apartment that is comparable to what I would get “on the outside,” but for free! -I was pleasantly surprised!

-Speaking of free, I want a meal plan too. I’ve been dependent on campus food for going on six years and I don’t plan on learning how to cook anytime soon. -Also, not a problem and there is actually a pretty amazing selection of eating places on campus.

-I also want a parking spot (I’m lazy) and laundry (because I’m also cheap). -Ouch, a few more flaws. I don't have a reserved parking spot OR laundry, however I now get to park in Fac/Staff parking which is a new experience for me. Also, the laundry system is ID-card based so I don't have to rely on quarters anymore which is a step in the right direction.

I’m sure there are other things on my list too. Such as a diverse student and professional population, inviting campus environment, a place where I can “put theory to practice” as well as have opportunities to learn, develop, and grow, but those aren’t fun to think about. I can’t decide if I’m being delusional or just “particular.” I hope this fantasy job really is out there, because the pressure is already on.

So far, so good. This fantasy has been realized in my new job. Sure, there are challenges and frustrations. I always forget how exhausting it is to build new work relationships and out-of-work friendships. Luckily, the majority of the department and division are young, social, and outgoing people so there have been plenty of opportunities to build my new social network. I feel blessed to be in a place where my needs have been met from the very beginning. In fact, so many of my major needs have already been fulfilled that it is easy to overlook the smaller creature comforts such as laundry, a parking spot, and pet accommodations. I really feel like this is the perfect first job for me because there is a great mix of high expectations filled with so much fun I can hardly handle it at times. I have already identified a few areas of frustration and improvement, but how can you be unhappy in a place that makes you feel fulfilled?