Life of a Grad Student: What an IMPACT!!!

The last post I did NOT want to write at all, but this one I've been looking forward to all week!!! It's funny how the past few times I've been en route to Warrensburg, I've been excited but extremely nervous, but once I'm there I never want to leave! Even in March when I was there for interviews I couldn't get over the "homey" feeling the campus evokes.

These past 4 days I got to help make sure the IMPACT retreat--which is a leadership retreat for incoming freshmen--ran smoothly. Everyone kept telling us newbie GA's that we were being "thrown to the wolves" having to help work this event with little training, but I absolutely LOVED it!! Thanks to my obsession with personality tests/quizzes, I've discovered in the past that I work best when I just jump right into something and figure it out as I go, and this event was the perfect time to test that. And even though the week wore me out pretty good, I can't wait to do it again. It felt so good just to be working again, especially with some pretty wonderful people! The retreat definitely made an impact on me, and now I know the next time I go back to Warrensburg the nerves will be left at home :).

Here are a few of the highlights and lessons that I didn't expect to learn from the first few days on the job:

You get to learn campus real quick when you're driving a golf cart back and forth across
ALWAYS check the toilet for unnamed cockroach/beetle/crustacean/even-the-"I have no problem with bugs"-girl-gets-freaked-out-by bugs
Keep it simple when building a boat out of cardboard and duct tape
Patience is key, especially when your 2 BR apt goes to a 1 BR for 3 people at the crack of midnight (no glass slippers were lost in the move)
If you want to see the President, you better be able to stand for 5 hours
4 grad students and an engineer got stumped by a sound speaker
Never turn down drinks when the waitress gives a low "ish" price
Talking in a megaphone is a once in a lifetime experience
Don't doubt a girl's capability or seriousness in finishing a 1/3 of a gallon of ice cream
AND long days end best when you can talk it out with other GA's

Now, in all seriousness, there were a lot of important lessons I learned that I plan to incorporate into these next two years at UCM, and in life. The big ones are: patience, being ready for anything, an endless positive attitude, and perseverance.

In other news, I now have a few days to wind down before I get to fly out to Illinois and see Austin and meet his family! Then it's back to the Burg for good! :) Below are a few pictures though of my new office and apartment!