I have a lot to share from the past few months, but I thought I'd quick let everyone know about the weather here. It's actually been really nice - 10 degrees above average. Some great, warm, sunny weekends for almost a month straight.
However, snow is not only in the forecast for tonight, but it's also coming down as we speak. Doesn't look too bad right now, but could become messy as we go.
While you all know I'm not a huge fan of cold and snow, it really isn't too bad here in PA. Winter lasts maybe the traditional 3-4 months. It's December, so it's not surprising to see snow. I will deal just fine. However, as I have to run out today, we'll see if others can.
It's always interesting to me to see how Pennsylvanians react to snow. In Upstate NY, you know how to drive in it so it doesn't stop you until it's coming down 1-2 inches per hour. Here in PA, though, people will freak out with just a forecast of 3 inches - running to grocery stores to buy milk, eggs, and bread (what we call the French toast panic) as though we'll be snowed in for a week. Many typically also are very afraid to drive in snow, too, so the highways go from 55+ to 30mph. I'm not quite sure that's entirely necessary. Being a December baby, I learned how to drive in the snow when I turned 16, so I have a clear advantage. Ok so I need to be more patient. After all, I can understand we don't get 120 inches of snow for the season like Upstate NY.
All of the reactions to snow here, though, is quite interesting since we are in the Northeast. We get snow every year. It's actually normally covering the ground for much of February. So I have yet to figure out why the panic arises the way it does.
So I'm here, about to run some errands, hoping we can all keep it together over a few inches of snow. Let's not let it stop our lives. Let it just pretty up the lawns that are filled with holiday decorations. I'd be satisfied with that - after all, it's just not the holidays for me without the entire scene (see -I can admit that!).
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
President Obama visits the Lehigh Valley
Check it out some of the photos:
http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/all-obama-allentown-pictures-120409,0,1851351.photogallery
http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/all-obama-allentown-pictures-120409,0,1851351.photogallery
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
September, October, November....Where does the time go?
I disappeared from blogging - AGAIN! For those who guess that meant it was recruitment time again, you are correct! It is always tough to balance that time in my life. An average day starts with waking up at 6, running around all day, and crashing around midnight. In the past I may have provided some insight into the day, but let me give you a few more details. You may be surprised by the life of an admissions counselor during "travel season."
I usually start my day with the alarm going off for 30 minutes starting around 5:30. Once I force myself up (I am a night owl, so this morning thing is a challenge!), I can't resist taking care of some emails. After sending a few, I rush to get ready for the day. And as usual, by 7:30am, I'm already running late. I've come to realize that doing anything on the computer in the morning sets me back, so despite how tempting it is, I'm trying to avoid the computer until I'm completely ready to go. Work always calls, though, so it's a constant battle between different responsibilities.(Yes, I admit it - I'm a workaholic!) Then there's the last minute double checking maps online verifying that I do know where I'm going - even without my GPS! (That's one of the benefit of traveling to the same places for 5 years.)
If I'm lucky, I'll grab breakfast from the hotel as I run to the car. Like I said, I struggle in the morning...Getting lunch can be tough on these days, so it's crucial I find time to eat breakfast - otherwise, I might not eat until 4 or 5pm. You all know by this point that I need my food, so going that long without putting something in my stomach is just not a good idea. I have found, though, that doing some grocery shopping when I arrive in a state will help with those especially hectic mornings (thank you Target!).
The largest chunk of my days on the road are my high school visits - I'll drive from school to school figuring out where to park, where to enter the building, getting visitor sticker after visitor sticker, and more. It's always an adventure! Each visit is a brings a surprise - will any students be there for me or will I have an entire room of them excited about Lehigh? Will I get to catch up with the great counselor I met the year before? One of my personal favorite parts of returning to schools is testing myself - can I get to the counseling office or career center without any instructions? My visual memory is tested but I succeed frequently. Oh the little victories that get me through my days....
While I do typically end up sharing the same Lehigh details school after school, the personalities at each visit that make them fun and unique, and keep me going. The eagerness to learn about a school they haven't heard of before in some schools mixes with the familiarity and excitement that comes from students who have visited, done their research, and/or know many current Lehigh students at other schools. It's a great balance when I'm in what we call our "outreach" travel. I really feel like I'm making a difference for these students.
I typically schedule about 5 of these visits a day, but if I'm lucky (some might not choose that word), I'll be able to visit schools that have longer/later hours (i.e. end at 3:30) and/or have many schools near each other so that I can reach out to up to 7 schools in a single day. Those days are tough - literally praying I can make it to each appointment on time - but are completely worth it when I meet the students who are so eager to learn more about Lehigh.
In the event that there's an AP test given or some other late scheduling conflict when I get to a school and I'm unable to see students, I'm able to quick grab lunch. I'll find the closest Chick-fil-a, Sonic, Subway, or Wegmans (depending on the state I'm in) and have a moment to relax. Otherwise, even a 10 minute window might provide the opportunity to eat while I drive....I just have to hope I don't get food all over me....I have a Tide-to-Go stick with me in my purse, desk at work, in the kitchen at home, and more. I was quite impressed with myself this year, though, as I had few, if any, food incidents.
Once I'm done with my visits for the day, I'll take a moment in my hotel room to breathe. In the hectic schedule of my day, stopping for a second is rare. Before I know it my 5 minute break is over and I'm off to meet with students for informal interviews (not required, purely informational) - I've meet some great kids in these, so it's a lot of fun. They give me a pulse on student lives, interests, thoughts on Lehigh, and the culture of an area. You never know what you will learn!
If I don't have interviews, I have a college fair or plans with an alum. Rarely do I have an evening free - something that I think surprised my one sister when I stayed with her in Arizona last year. "Downtime" means it's email time - from following with students I met that day to taking care of some of my other office responsibilities, I'm never short on work. Good thing it's interesting!
Somewhere in the middle of the interviews or between school visits and a college fair, I get to take a break for dinner. If I've planned it out right, it's about 45 mins of my day where I can actually eat a full meal (PF Changs/Pei Wei, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Wegmans in NY are some of my favorite places to eat, though I do try to find local places, too). Some feel weird eating alone, but in this job, if I couldn't find a way to be ok with it I'd be hungry or would stare at my rental car dashboard or hotel room much more than I already do. It's really not that bad either - from tvs to email, I keep busy while waiting for my delicious food. Eating at some of my favorite places is a perk of the job.
By the time I return to my room at night, I'm take care of a few more emails/projects. When I realize how late it is, I'll give a quick call to my husband then head to bed. It's a crazy schedule but it is filled with great people, lots of funny happenings throughout the days, some amazing views, and interesting cultural differences. I enjoy it all despite the exhaustion.
While I do love sharing Lehigh with so many people, I love when I have a moment to truly enjoy where I am. Oftentimes I have interviews, college fairs, and other meetings on weekends. But when I get a break, I try to get out in each place and experience it - to see the petroglyphs in Albuquerque, walk around the zoo in St. Louis (BEST zoo in the country, in my opinion), and to check out the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.
Hope this sheds some light on the life of an admissions counselor in the midst of "travel season." Next time, (which will not be in 3 months) I'll give you some details about this year - where I went, what I saw, and more. Til then, have a great day!
I usually start my day with the alarm going off for 30 minutes starting around 5:30. Once I force myself up (I am a night owl, so this morning thing is a challenge!), I can't resist taking care of some emails. After sending a few, I rush to get ready for the day. And as usual, by 7:30am, I'm already running late. I've come to realize that doing anything on the computer in the morning sets me back, so despite how tempting it is, I'm trying to avoid the computer until I'm completely ready to go. Work always calls, though, so it's a constant battle between different responsibilities.(Yes, I admit it - I'm a workaholic!) Then there's the last minute double checking maps online verifying that I do know where I'm going - even without my GPS! (That's one of the benefit of traveling to the same places for 5 years.)
If I'm lucky, I'll grab breakfast from the hotel as I run to the car. Like I said, I struggle in the morning...Getting lunch can be tough on these days, so it's crucial I find time to eat breakfast - otherwise, I might not eat until 4 or 5pm. You all know by this point that I need my food, so going that long without putting something in my stomach is just not a good idea. I have found, though, that doing some grocery shopping when I arrive in a state will help with those especially hectic mornings (thank you Target!).
The largest chunk of my days on the road are my high school visits - I'll drive from school to school figuring out where to park, where to enter the building, getting visitor sticker after visitor sticker, and more. It's always an adventure! Each visit is a brings a surprise - will any students be there for me or will I have an entire room of them excited about Lehigh? Will I get to catch up with the great counselor I met the year before? One of my personal favorite parts of returning to schools is testing myself - can I get to the counseling office or career center without any instructions? My visual memory is tested but I succeed frequently. Oh the little victories that get me through my days....
While I do typically end up sharing the same Lehigh details school after school, the personalities at each visit that make them fun and unique, and keep me going. The eagerness to learn about a school they haven't heard of before in some schools mixes with the familiarity and excitement that comes from students who have visited, done their research, and/or know many current Lehigh students at other schools. It's a great balance when I'm in what we call our "outreach" travel. I really feel like I'm making a difference for these students.
I typically schedule about 5 of these visits a day, but if I'm lucky (some might not choose that word), I'll be able to visit schools that have longer/later hours (i.e. end at 3:30) and/or have many schools near each other so that I can reach out to up to 7 schools in a single day. Those days are tough - literally praying I can make it to each appointment on time - but are completely worth it when I meet the students who are so eager to learn more about Lehigh.
In the event that there's an AP test given or some other late scheduling conflict when I get to a school and I'm unable to see students, I'm able to quick grab lunch. I'll find the closest Chick-fil-a, Sonic, Subway, or Wegmans (depending on the state I'm in) and have a moment to relax. Otherwise, even a 10 minute window might provide the opportunity to eat while I drive....I just have to hope I don't get food all over me....I have a Tide-to-Go stick with me in my purse, desk at work, in the kitchen at home, and more. I was quite impressed with myself this year, though, as I had few, if any, food incidents.
Once I'm done with my visits for the day, I'll take a moment in my hotel room to breathe. In the hectic schedule of my day, stopping for a second is rare. Before I know it my 5 minute break is over and I'm off to meet with students for informal interviews (not required, purely informational) - I've meet some great kids in these, so it's a lot of fun. They give me a pulse on student lives, interests, thoughts on Lehigh, and the culture of an area. You never know what you will learn!
If I don't have interviews, I have a college fair or plans with an alum. Rarely do I have an evening free - something that I think surprised my one sister when I stayed with her in Arizona last year. "Downtime" means it's email time - from following with students I met that day to taking care of some of my other office responsibilities, I'm never short on work. Good thing it's interesting!
Somewhere in the middle of the interviews or between school visits and a college fair, I get to take a break for dinner. If I've planned it out right, it's about 45 mins of my day where I can actually eat a full meal (PF Changs/Pei Wei, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Wegmans in NY are some of my favorite places to eat, though I do try to find local places, too). Some feel weird eating alone, but in this job, if I couldn't find a way to be ok with it I'd be hungry or would stare at my rental car dashboard or hotel room much more than I already do. It's really not that bad either - from tvs to email, I keep busy while waiting for my delicious food. Eating at some of my favorite places is a perk of the job.
By the time I return to my room at night, I'm take care of a few more emails/projects. When I realize how late it is, I'll give a quick call to my husband then head to bed. It's a crazy schedule but it is filled with great people, lots of funny happenings throughout the days, some amazing views, and interesting cultural differences. I enjoy it all despite the exhaustion.
While I do love sharing Lehigh with so many people, I love when I have a moment to truly enjoy where I am. Oftentimes I have interviews, college fairs, and other meetings on weekends. But when I get a break, I try to get out in each place and experience it - to see the petroglyphs in Albuquerque, walk around the zoo in St. Louis (BEST zoo in the country, in my opinion), and to check out the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.
Hope this sheds some light on the life of an admissions counselor in the midst of "travel season." Next time, (which will not be in 3 months) I'll give you some details about this year - where I went, what I saw, and more. Til then, have a great day!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
September changes
Hello again! It's been a while, so I apologize. Things have been quite busy lately with planning for upcoming travel, working on pages and registrations for upcoming events, and with visiting counselors. This is one of the busiest times of year in the office as most are trying to balance a variety of major activities.
We hosted 15 counselors from around the US/world on Sunday and Monday as part of our National Counselor Workshop held in conjunction with Lafayette College. It was beautiful weather their whole time here, and they were a great group, so it worked out quite well. Plus, Liz was running the program, so it was in good hands! I had three counselors in the program - two from charter schools in Arizona and one from the Kansas City metro. It was really nice to get to know them a bit outside of our daily activities - where they all have been incredibly helpful. They have opened their doors and are great at their job, so they really learn what the experience is like here to better identify students who would succeed here. Our students again shined (several who I recruited, so I like to take credit as though I'm actually somehow responsible for their intelligence, work ethic, and accomplishments! haha) as they interacted with the counselors - truly amazing to what them share what they know.
In other areas, we're in the midst of what we call "travel season." This means that many are out of the office recruiting students at high schools, college fairs, etc. etc. If you want to hear more about some of these experiences, you should check out our office blog - lehighadmissions.blogspot.com. Keep an eye out for how many different places our mascot, CLUTCH, travels. It's certainly making our adventures more exciting. While we love going out and seeing the world, it does mean that when you're in the office, it's incredibly quiet. What a change that is, after most of us being here regularly over the summer. We go from loud and involved in each others lives and excited when the students return, to not seeing each other for 2 months.
Another big change for the office is today. We're rearranging the office, so several people and their belongings are moving in and out of offices. While I won't be moving anywhere, I'm sad to see my two current office mates moving - and this is not about who's coming in with me (Laura and Dave). It's just that Dana, Brian and I get along quite well and oftentimes are working on projects that involved each other so it was a great mix (which sounds like a bad plan to separate us, which is not the case. There are many factors that go into the set up of the office).
So here's a tribute to the few months we had together - photos of Dana and her husband on Chick-fil-As cow appreciation day, and the three of us carrying class flags at last year's Freshmen Rally*.
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*Quick note: the Freshmen Rally is held during Orientation Weekend. It's basically a pep rally for the class - so that they get to know each other, the school, and the traditions. It starts with the parade of classes, where every class that has a living member has their flag carried to the stage. As many of the carriers are from the class that they are carrying, which is the case for Brian, Dana, and I in this photo. The rally involves many parts of the university, from the dance team and cheerleaders, to musical groups who help lead the alma mater - the first time the class sings it together. The Marching '97 play some of the fight songs so that the first-year students have the opportunity to learn those, as well. It's a great time, with alums, current, and new students all coming together to cheer for Lehigh.
We hosted 15 counselors from around the US/world on Sunday and Monday as part of our National Counselor Workshop held in conjunction with Lafayette College. It was beautiful weather their whole time here, and they were a great group, so it worked out quite well. Plus, Liz was running the program, so it was in good hands! I had three counselors in the program - two from charter schools in Arizona and one from the Kansas City metro. It was really nice to get to know them a bit outside of our daily activities - where they all have been incredibly helpful. They have opened their doors and are great at their job, so they really learn what the experience is like here to better identify students who would succeed here. Our students again shined (several who I recruited, so I like to take credit as though I'm actually somehow responsible for their intelligence, work ethic, and accomplishments! haha) as they interacted with the counselors - truly amazing to what them share what they know.
In other areas, we're in the midst of what we call "travel season." This means that many are out of the office recruiting students at high schools, college fairs, etc. etc. If you want to hear more about some of these experiences, you should check out our office blog - lehighadmissions.blogspot.com. Keep an eye out for how many different places our mascot, CLUTCH, travels. It's certainly making our adventures more exciting. While we love going out and seeing the world, it does mean that when you're in the office, it's incredibly quiet. What a change that is, after most of us being here regularly over the summer. We go from loud and involved in each others lives and excited when the students return, to not seeing each other for 2 months.
Another big change for the office is today. We're rearranging the office, so several people and their belongings are moving in and out of offices. While I won't be moving anywhere, I'm sad to see my two current office mates moving - and this is not about who's coming in with me (Laura and Dave). It's just that Dana, Brian and I get along quite well and oftentimes are working on projects that involved each other so it was a great mix (which sounds like a bad plan to separate us, which is not the case. There are many factors that go into the set up of the office).
So here's a tribute to the few months we had together - photos of Dana and her husband on Chick-fil-As cow appreciation day, and the three of us carrying class flags at last year's Freshmen Rally*.
.JPG)
Thank you, Brian and Dana - it's been a good few months!
Also changing is the weather and daylight. It's nice that after it finally did heat up as usually with some strong humidity, it's getting back into those sunny days with temperatures in the 70s.....perfect in my mind - except for the fact that it's too dark to run in the morning, and too dark to run by the time I get home from work. (I wish we could use a few more hours in each day - but it's a problem that only Stewie Griffin could solve in his cartoon world....) Mixed in with this beautiful weather, though, are some of those cool, rainy days that seem to be there to prepare us for November and December....oh well. I'll enjoy it while I have it by talking long walks over lunch!
Ok, time to book some more high school visits. Have a great weekend!
*Quick note: the Freshmen Rally is held during Orientation Weekend. It's basically a pep rally for the class - so that they get to know each other, the school, and the traditions. It starts with the parade of classes, where every class that has a living member has their flag carried to the stage. As many of the carriers are from the class that they are carrying, which is the case for Brian, Dana, and I in this photo. The rally involves many parts of the university, from the dance team and cheerleaders, to musical groups who help lead the alma mater - the first time the class sings it together. The Marching '97 play some of the fight songs so that the first-year students have the opportunity to learn those, as well. It's a great time, with alums, current, and new students all coming together to cheer for Lehigh.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Chick-fil-a is open! (and the students are back!)
Ok so while the title of this may sound like I appreciate all of the dining halls and food court being open more than anything, it's not true. Students have returned to campus, and thus it's returned to normal around here!!! We like that.
In the summer, while there are some students around (and lots of visitors), it just feels a little bit empty. So yes, now that the fall semester has begun, it does means longer lines at our favorite lunch sites, and sometimes our parking spots are mysteriously taken. But the campus is alive - there's a buzz of activity and personalities that makes Lehigh Lehigh.
Our students are fascinating- we love hearing their stories about their lives, and about their research projects and study abroad experiences, etc. One in particular, I like to call a ray of sunshine - she can't help but make you smile! (Oh yes, Carmelita, we love that you're back from Copenhagen and in our lives for one more year - but do you really have to graduate and leave us?) Others are loud and boisterous - so we can hear them coming a mile away - but what they offer to life here is incredibly unique. Their zest for life and Lehigh keeps you going.
And still, others just amaze us. One student in particular just takes on everything he can - the South Mountain College program? Helping it grow and thriving in the unique environment. A time consuming, challenging major like architecture? He just shrugs off the fact that he'll be spending hours a week working on his studio drawings and says that since he dropped his formerly 5th class (which likely overloaded his schedule) he'll be fine. In fact, just as you think that as the professional you need to step in and NOT let him volunteer for admissions, there he is, telling you that he was up at 1am last night doing some research for our office without even being asked. Does he sleep? Oh to be young...and I know what you're thinking - and yes, I'm not that old. However, for me 10pm arrives with many, many yawns and heavy eyes....haha.
Anyway, these are just a few examples of our students - but what I love is that there are so many more. It keeps us on our toes!
In the summer, while there are some students around (and lots of visitors), it just feels a little bit empty. So yes, now that the fall semester has begun, it does means longer lines at our favorite lunch sites, and sometimes our parking spots are mysteriously taken. But the campus is alive - there's a buzz of activity and personalities that makes Lehigh Lehigh.
Our students are fascinating- we love hearing their stories about their lives, and about their research projects and study abroad experiences, etc. One in particular, I like to call a ray of sunshine - she can't help but make you smile! (Oh yes, Carmelita, we love that you're back from Copenhagen and in our lives for one more year - but do you really have to graduate and leave us?) Others are loud and boisterous - so we can hear them coming a mile away - but what they offer to life here is incredibly unique. Their zest for life and Lehigh keeps you going.
And still, others just amaze us. One student in particular just takes on everything he can - the South Mountain College program? Helping it grow and thriving in the unique environment. A time consuming, challenging major like architecture? He just shrugs off the fact that he'll be spending hours a week working on his studio drawings and says that since he dropped his formerly 5th class (which likely overloaded his schedule) he'll be fine. In fact, just as you think that as the professional you need to step in and NOT let him volunteer for admissions, there he is, telling you that he was up at 1am last night doing some research for our office without even being asked. Does he sleep? Oh to be young...and I know what you're thinking - and yes, I'm not that old. However, for me 10pm arrives with many, many yawns and heavy eyes....haha.
Anyway, these are just a few examples of our students - but what I love is that there are so many more. It keeps us on our toes!
Move-In Day 2009
Welcome Class of 2013! I hope you had a smooth transition into your residence halls and classes. Wanted to let people know quickly about that day. Took a few photos to share, too.
Every year, Move-In Day is a great experience - hundreds of volunteers across the university assist in making it be as easy as possible on our families, typically in crazy colored matching t-shirts so that we can easily be spotted. This year it was orange.......at least it was better than the fluorescent green from a few years ago. I love the staff the chooses the colors, but...really?
Our volunteers - students, faculty, and staff - carry boxes into the residence halls, literally taking the load off of many students and parents. (It's crazy, though, how much stuff students bring. ...I admit, though, that I was one of those ridiculously over-packed types......I believe my theory was, "What if I might need this at some random point? I should have it with me. I'm packing it." ....what did I do to people????) Other volunteers help with directions, parking, and/or check-in.
Each year I volunteer to help with check-in - it's the easiest way I can see the students I've worked with over the past year or two. It really is a neat experience to see all of our hard work come to fruition. Seeing our students moving in really reminds what it is all about. They're so cute, too - most have mix of nerves and anxiety about the unknown combined with an excitement about the journey they are starting.
This day is a bit strange since we're out and about around campus helping out in different ways and greeting our students. One family came to Admissions to see me - they are from Tucson and I hadn't met the student's mother before., so I really appreciated it!
I usually go to the lunch for these families, too, since it's more of an opportunity to check in on them. It was great this year because I ran into a student from Phoenix/Scottsdale and her family - it was great chatting with them, especially since I started working with her during her junior year spring break and she committed to Lehigh in early decision. Lots of love for Lehigh already!
I was hoping to see more of my students that just started, but only saw a handful - hopefully I'll see more in the coming weeks.
Here's a pic from the end of the hot, humid lunch outside of Rauch Business Center.
Later on, I went to the Class of 2013 welcome - what a great Dean of Students staff and group of Orientation Leaders we have! They made me laugh a lot - as seen probably in my Twitter posts. Here's a photo of the Orientation Leaders doing the, "Lehigh Rumble" - one of the traditions here.
It was an especially busy but fun day because that night, many of my co-workers and I (and friends/family) joined us at the Iron Pigs double header. Nothing like a little AAA Baseball to cap off an evening! Here's when our group was listed up on the scoreboard - can't you tell? Not only does it have Lehigh Admissions Office, but if my memory serves me well I think it also said something about us being the greatest people ever.....maybe....
Ok so the iphone doesn't exactly take the best photos. But we did have a great time with beautiful weather and each other. It was our last hurrah before we all leave to recruit across the country and the world.
So that was Move-In Day, busy but fun. Hope we can welcome you one day!
Every year, Move-In Day is a great experience - hundreds of volunteers across the university assist in making it be as easy as possible on our families, typically in crazy colored matching t-shirts so that we can easily be spotted. This year it was orange.......at least it was better than the fluorescent green from a few years ago. I love the staff the chooses the colors, but...really?
Our volunteers - students, faculty, and staff - carry boxes into the residence halls, literally taking the load off of many students and parents. (It's crazy, though, how much stuff students bring. ...I admit, though, that I was one of those ridiculously over-packed types......I believe my theory was, "What if I might need this at some random point? I should have it with me. I'm packing it." ....what did I do to people????) Other volunteers help with directions, parking, and/or check-in.
Each year I volunteer to help with check-in - it's the easiest way I can see the students I've worked with over the past year or two. It really is a neat experience to see all of our hard work come to fruition. Seeing our students moving in really reminds what it is all about. They're so cute, too - most have mix of nerves and anxiety about the unknown combined with an excitement about the journey they are starting.
This day is a bit strange since we're out and about around campus helping out in different ways and greeting our students. One family came to Admissions to see me - they are from Tucson and I hadn't met the student's mother before., so I really appreciated it!
I usually go to the lunch for these families, too, since it's more of an opportunity to check in on them. It was great this year because I ran into a student from Phoenix/Scottsdale and her family - it was great chatting with them, especially since I started working with her during her junior year spring break and she committed to Lehigh in early decision. Lots of love for Lehigh already!
I was hoping to see more of my students that just started, but only saw a handful - hopefully I'll see more in the coming weeks.
Here's a pic from the end of the hot, humid lunch outside of Rauch Business Center.
Later on, I went to the Class of 2013 welcome - what a great Dean of Students staff and group of Orientation Leaders we have! They made me laugh a lot - as seen probably in my Twitter posts. Here's a photo of the Orientation Leaders doing the, "Lehigh Rumble" - one of the traditions here.
It was an especially busy but fun day because that night, many of my co-workers and I (and friends/family) joined us at the Iron Pigs double header. Nothing like a little AAA Baseball to cap off an evening! Here's when our group was listed up on the scoreboard - can't you tell? Not only does it have Lehigh Admissions Office, but if my memory serves me well I think it also said something about us being the greatest people ever.....maybe....
Ok so the iphone doesn't exactly take the best photos. But we did have a great time with beautiful weather and each other. It was our last hurrah before we all leave to recruit across the country and the world.
So that was Move-In Day, busy but fun. Hope we can welcome you one day!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Summer Cleaning
Started a post a few weeks ago and I'll finish that one soon. For now, I just wanted to give you an idea of what I've been up to since it's been a while.
Summer is typically the time when we can catch up on all of the projects and organizing we've wanted to get done for months - unfortunately, I've wanted to do some massive cleaning/sorting/recycling for years and have been unable to do it, so I have a lot to take care of now. I spent all of today doing this, my second full day this summer; even though I have more to do I feel good about my progess. I don't need the step-by-step directions for Hopkins High School to Edina High School in Minnesota that I had to print off 3 years ago; we have a better technology now. I certainly don't need the fair information for those I attended 4 years ago; we have all of that information in our database. And I don't need the agendas to meetings I attended a year ago when I kept notes on separate sheets of paper. It's just a bit of spring cleaning, in July and August.
While I am doing this, I'm thinking about all of the other things I need to be doing - but couldn't with the mounds of papers on my desk and cluttered throughout my files. I just finished building the fall calendar that you can see in a new format now - you can click on things and get more details, etc. I just need to make some updates to it already so that you can also click on directions, full details, and more - just like to keep it as easy for all of you as possible; I don't like to leave anyone down path they want to go back on so it'll take some time to finish the connections.
I'm also thinking about my travel for this fall - need to get the general schedule finalized so that I can begin to schedule my high school visits, send out postcards for off-campus interviews, book flights, and more. Then all of the web projects - posting Open House and other event dates, getting registrations up and running, updating the way we share contact information for the counselors, etc. etc. The list grows every day.
So here I am, in the midst of getting situated for another year, busy as a bee. I took my little trips in the past two months, so I'm in all August working hard. Let me know if you have any suggestions for the web!
Have a great night!
Summer is typically the time when we can catch up on all of the projects and organizing we've wanted to get done for months - unfortunately, I've wanted to do some massive cleaning/sorting/recycling for years and have been unable to do it, so I have a lot to take care of now. I spent all of today doing this, my second full day this summer; even though I have more to do I feel good about my progess. I don't need the step-by-step directions for Hopkins High School to Edina High School in Minnesota that I had to print off 3 years ago; we have a better technology now. I certainly don't need the fair information for those I attended 4 years ago; we have all of that information in our database. And I don't need the agendas to meetings I attended a year ago when I kept notes on separate sheets of paper. It's just a bit of spring cleaning, in July and August.
While I am doing this, I'm thinking about all of the other things I need to be doing - but couldn't with the mounds of papers on my desk and cluttered throughout my files. I just finished building the fall calendar that you can see in a new format now - you can click on things and get more details, etc. I just need to make some updates to it already so that you can also click on directions, full details, and more - just like to keep it as easy for all of you as possible; I don't like to leave anyone down path they want to go back on so it'll take some time to finish the connections.
I'm also thinking about my travel for this fall - need to get the general schedule finalized so that I can begin to schedule my high school visits, send out postcards for off-campus interviews, book flights, and more. Then all of the web projects - posting Open House and other event dates, getting registrations up and running, updating the way we share contact information for the counselors, etc. etc. The list grows every day.
So here I am, in the midst of getting situated for another year, busy as a bee. I took my little trips in the past two months, so I'm in all August working hard. Let me know if you have any suggestions for the web!
Have a great night!
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