Res. Life and the City #11- It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

“As we speed along this endless road to the destination called who we hope to be, I can't help but whine, 'Are we there yet?'” ~Carrie Bradshaw


Well, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year. While I am speaking partly about the actual holiday season, and specifically Christmas which is my favorite holiday of the year, I am also talking about the most wonderful time of the year for Res. life folks: CLOSING TIME!

Last week I officially closed my own building for the first time. Sure, as an RA and a grad, I had my own responsibilities and played a role in the larger picture, but I was never the one in charge, giving directions, and making sure everything was secure for the break. Needless to say, I was a little nervous. However, my new institution does things very differently from my last institution and it was not really a big deal to close a building. My other co-workers who are new this year kept calling each other and saying "I think I'm missing something. What are you doing for your building?" Even though I had the overwhelming sense that I was missing something, everything turned out well and my first Winter closing was under my belt.

As a few of the stragglers left the building, laundry in tow, they asked me "So, what are you going to do without any students here?" The first response that came to my mind was "Dance naked through the halls with a bottle of liquor and a lit candle," but I felt like that may give the wrong impression, so I told them that I would finally get a chance to get things done that I haven't been able to get to when students are around. They shook their head with a knowing look in their eye and they scooted out of the building with visions of new cell phones and GPS' in their heads. In reality, the following week was a little bit of a joke. The majority of the time was spent prank calling my co-workers, loading pictures onto Facebook, packing, and enjoying more end-of-the-year parties than necessary. All in all, it was a fantastic last week and a nice way to ease into the holiday break.

I was lucky enough to start the break with a much-needed visit with my best friends from grad school. They somehow all ended up in working in the same city so I flew into their new hometown and spent 2 1/2 days hanging out, seeing their new schools, and experiencing life in their new worlds. It was not only nice to see the things that I've been hearing about for the past six months, but it was totally amazing to just be with my friends and not rush around and make plans and worry about how much time we have left. We simply ate and laughed and it was basically all kinds of wonderful. After a few days of this, my parents picked me up and drove me back to my old life which is where you find me now.

I am watching TV, basking in the glow of our family Christmas tree which is decorated with ornaments chronicling major events in my life since birth, and silently thanking my parents for finally breaking down and getting the Internet. As the holiday rapidly approaches, I am bracing myself for the questions I am bound to receive from my family and friends of the family about my new life, job, and city. It is more than worlds apart from where I sit now, so I am trying to come up with a good response to "So what is it like?" or "So how do you like it?"

Is there ever a really good answer to that question? I never know how to start. It's like the opening interview question which is undoubtedly "So tell us about yourself..." Do you start with a joke or a quip, or do you start out seriously and give it to them straight? Also, how exactly do you describe a new city, friends, job, hobbies, weather, students, dreams, and aspirations? I've started this already with my parents and brother and they have both seemed disappointed when I feebly attempted to describe what it's like to be me.

On the same front, I'm worried that people are going to eventually say "Well what are you going to do after this?" I'm worried because I feel like I have (metaphorically) arrived. Starting a career in student affairs has what I've been working towards (sometimes unconsciously) for the majority of my life. I have a feeling that "Oh, just advancing in my functional area" isn't going to be flashy and exciting enough to impress my judgemental great-aunt Jan and her kids who can do no wrong. However, in the past few months I've realized that I'm no longer working towards a goal, but rather working within this goal to become a better version of myself. I highly doubt that my 88-year-old Grandpa will know or even care about what I'm saying. I have a feeling that the conversation will immediately divert to gas prices, but I guess that's the nature of the holiday season.