Orientation season is over… just in time for the first day of school next week! Summer is always a little rough for me, but this summer seemed especially crazy. First-year and transfer orientations were sandwiched between juggling advising appointments, administrative/clerical duties, and training new academic advising staff. This made for some pretty long weeks.

I feel like I need a summer to recover from my summer! I’m really looking forward to the start of the fall semester, because the first day of school always brings more structure. My days start to look a little more “normal,” and I can get into a routine that summer doesn’t really afford.

Orientation has its routine, complete with phrases that I say over and over (and over and over and over) again:

1. You have a five-year plan? That’s fun. I don’t even know what I’m eating for dinner.
2. You can get anywhere on campus in six minutes. You just can’t stop at Starbucks.
3. Have you seen my water bottle?
4. I don’t think taking nineteen credit hours your first semester is a good idea.
5. What is going to happen to you if you don’t graduate in four years?
6. Nope, unfortunately you can’t double major with nursing.
7. Let’s work on your fall semester before we start planning the rest of your life.
8. I think I lost my water bottle.
9. You can do this! No, really. You’re doing great!
10. Sure, you can check with your mom/dad/uncle/auntie/grandma before you register for class.
11. Lunch is in about thirty minutes. I’m pretty sure it’s sandwiches.
12. The bathroom is out that door and to the left.
13. If you’re afraid to take Chemistry now, how will you make it through nursing school later?
14. Be right back. I need to find my water bottle. I can feel myself dehydrating.