I meant to post in January, but I honestly don’t know where January went. I mean, I’m sure the month happened and I know I was around for it, but after holiday break (during which I ate as much takeout as possible), the return to work was swift and certain.

To recap, 2018 brought changes galore, none of which I was quite prepared for. On top of my own personal life and health issues, work brought new staff members, new application processes, new policies and procedures. New new new!

But new is good. Change is good. (She says to herself over and over and over again.)
As someone who prefers the comfort of sameness and routine, I know that it’s beneficial for me to have life shaken up every once in a while.

Thankfully, all that shaking up means that we are now fully staffed. We have an advising team of six, which is more advisors than we’ve had the entire time I’ve worked in the College of Nursing. It’s still not quite enough people to serve all of our Pre-Nursing students, but we’re getting closer!

With the new year comes new goals. I’m not one to make resolutions, but I do have a list of “would be nice” things I’d like to accomplish:

1. Continue my Professional Development Big Read series. Last year, I read one professional development book each semester and I’d like to keep going. The book I’m reading for Spring 2019 is The End of College: Creating the Future of Learning and the University of Everywhere. It’s been on my GoodReads list for a while, so I’m excited to finally dig in.
2. Go to more conferences. Because things were so up in the air last year, there weren’t really many conference opportunities. Keeping abreast of trends and best practices in advising is so important, and while I tried to keep up by reading articles on my own last year (a practice I will definitely keep up), there is nothing that can replace gathering with people in your same profession. This year, there are several conferences I’m hoping to attend.
3. Social media more. I still haven’t figured out how/why/when to use Twitter. Maybe this year is the year? I want to blog once a month. I know it won’t happen, but one can hope!
4. Standard healthy life things. Move more, hydrate more, eat healthier, be punctual, eat less fried chicken.

Overwhelmed and tired,
but it’s only October.
When is winter break?

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.