I do not have any fun pictures to post but I wanted to give some updates since it has been a while so pictures to come.
Since the last post I have been able to move into Havighurst. Still not completely unpacked and there is still a lot of construction but it is nice to finally be in my hall. We finished the professional staff training and last weekend the Resident Assistants moved in which meant their training started and we have been going 8 to 8 everyday and then after that I have to work on various stuff so it has been a bit crazy. I really like my staff. All 11 of them bring something different. They are very excited but not in an overwhelming way. They have been really good about bonding and working on all of their tasks. Training is very different here than when I was a CSA at Sonoma. During the day is mostly outside speakers like Athletics coming in to do their spiel and then at night is when we actually do training about things such as programming, opening meetings, roommate agreements, etc. Training has taken over my life so I am excited for it to be over soon.
Classes start a week from tomorrow! Books for 2 of 3 classes are ordered and I am very excited. I don't know if I am ready because all I have been thinking about is Residence Life but I will get there. As soon as my office is set up I will feel better. I am also getting to teach a first year transition course (for Sonoma UNIV 102). I do not have a peer mentor but I am excited to work with students in a different way.
I have made some really close connections with a few individuals over the past weeks. Ashleigh is from New York originally and worked in Virginia this past year full time as a hall director. She brings this great outlook on life and a whole different way of thought. She is a great person to talk to for advice and interact with about personal development. Zak is from Illinois and he just graduated from Western Illinois but he took a year off to work on the Obama campaign (how cool is that!). His area of study is men's development and has a great point of view coming from a heterosexual male perspective towards Woman and LGBTQ issues. Erika is from Massachusetts and graduate from an all woman's school. It has been really interesting to get to talk to her about feminism and woman's issues. I am really looking forward to getting to know them all better.
Wednesday we have early arrivals, Thursday is opening, and this weekend is stacked full of events. I am really interested to see how 17,000 people are going to live in this small town which is basically just one main street that consists of three blocks. I am very curious what the student population is going to be like. I have heard they are some of the most priviledge students (I don't know if I mentioned that there are services where students can have someone clean their room and do their laundry every other week). Things are about to get interesting.
