January 14, 2008

The first week of each semester is always an adjustment. It’s exciting in some ways (I get to meet my new professors and evaluate my classes) and exhausting in others (the syllabi are handed out and I get to see how much work is ahead of me). Last week was no exception.

I have two new professors this semester. I hear they are both wonderful, and from what I can tell, I think I will really enjoy their classes. My jobs seem good too. My first lab section went wonderfully, and I loved the assignments my boss gave me last week.

In between my classes, I spent a lot of time in the Student Union. I usually walk through the union at least once a day to get to the journalism building, but because my car broke down the weekend before classes started, I was stranded on campus every day. I take full advantage of the university bus system, and I’m so glad to have it, but it’s not always ideal.

On Tuesday, one of my classes got out early, giving me two hours for lunch. There was no way I could take the bus home because by the time I waited on it to get there and then rode it back and forth, I wouldn’t have had enough time to eat lunch. So instead, I decided to eat in the union and start some of the reading I needed to do for Wednesday.

There’s nothing quite like the union at the beginning of the semester. It is incredibly crowded! After waiting in line for what seemed like forever, I finally sat down on the floor to enjoy my meal (all the tables were taken). I started looking around, and I noticed so many familiar faces. I saw students who were in my lab last semester, people I went to high school with and classmates I hadn’t seen since my freshman at OSU. It was wonderful!

The best part was when a student came up to me and asked me for some help. She had just transferred from TCC, and she recognized me because I am the TA for one of her classes. She asked me to help her with D2L (Desire to Learn – it’s the online classroom professors use to post assignments and course materials). She apologized for bothering me, but I’m so glad she did. I love helping people out, and now that I’m a senior, it seems like more and more people ask me for help and advice.

I know when some people are asked to do a favor for someone else it can bother them, but I like to share what I’ve learned. Whether it’s a student calling me on my cell phone to ask about an assignment or a friend sending me his cover letters to look over (both of which happened last week), it’s a pleasure to be able to help out.

I think part of the reason why I like it so much is because I am usually the person asking for a favor. It’s nice to finally be on the other side of that and to have the ability to make someone else’s life a little easier.

	Here’s the scene at the union on Tuesday. Look at all the people!
	My professors thankfully excused me from class on Friday so I could go with some of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) officers to visit Anglin Public Relations, a public relations firm in Oklahoma City. This is Maggie Kierl and I driving back to Stillwater. We had such a great time.
	Check it out! With some of my extra time in the union, I finally got a new ID. The old one was so worn that you couldn’t even see my picture on it anymore.
	Who goes out on Friday night? Last weekend, Kim and I stayed home, ate funnel cakes and watched The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Talk about a great evening!