Monday, August 11, 2014

It's that time

It's the most (insert your own adjective here) time of the year.  Everyone in Housing and Residence Life flinches when you say just one word.  AUGUST.  Not only does it mean summer is coming to an end but it also means that colleges/universities around the country and preparing to welcome students back.  It means that the days are longer(even though the sun is setting sooner and sooner).  It means those 'also includes some weekends' statements in their job descriptions come to life.  It also means for the significant other a lot less time with your partner.

There is hall director training that usually lasts at least two weeks, then of course there is RA training that lasts at least a week and then of course there is opening weekend.  So basically it's crazy schedule followed by a little bit more of a crazy schedule then ending with the most insane weekend of the whole year.  We as significant others have to understand that we may not see them as much, they may bring work home with them, they may come home late, they may even have to return to work after dinner.  It's something that only happens once a year so cut them a little slack if when they get home late, maybe in a bad mood and will probably have to do work instead of spend time with you.

Just remind yourself that it's only a month and it is part of their job.  They go through this every year. Just remember back to when you were in college and you moved to campus.  If you lived on campus at all, everything that happened move in weekend, all the people, all your RAs and all the hall directors all got to where they were from the training that happened in August.

If you are like me training doesn't just happen in August.  Casey coordinates the schedules so he is working on training practically year round.  If your significant other does that you understand that training takes a lot more then a month.  The planning involved in making the training that they go through is pretty massive.  They don't do training for the fun of it.  Realize that training is a way to teach the new people the ways of the university, it's also a way for the returning staff to learn up on new techniques get insight from others, find out any changes that may be occurring through out the year.  Honestly it is actually a great way for the staff to bond as well.  It's very important that the staff members get to know each other and feel comfortable with each other.  Having a staff that knows each other and is comfortable with each other is very important to make the year go by smoothly.  So training is the best time for that to happen.  They do everything together during the month of August.

As much as you want August to be the last hurrah of summer, as much as you want to try and squeeze in one more weekend away, as much as you want to have one last cookout, one last bonfire it might not happen.  It is a busy month and you just need to be patient and understand it's only a month out of the year and it only happens once a year.  Be willing to listen if they come home and need to vent about something, because even though it's all planned out things don't always go as planned.    Be willing to support their late nights, their trips back to work, their weekends at work.

I know this time of year has tested my strength and even at points tested my marriage.  It's hard to not see my husband, it's hard on the kids not to see their dad, but we know that September is not to far away.  What we usually do, if possible, is get out of the city during opening.  You cannot get anywhere near campus to try and see anyone, you really can't go shopping.(so many college students picking up last minute things they may have forgotten).  You really cannot even go out to eat, parents wanting to have one last night out with their kids, or wanting to eat before they hit the road.  If you can, take opening weekend as a time for yourself.  You will hardly see your better half and honestly it might do you some good after a long August to just recharge that way when September comes you are both ready for the new school year and ready to get back to 'normal' life.  Well if there is anything 'normal' about housing and residence life.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Saw this so I will share it.

Someone on my Facebook shared this link and I wanted to share it on here.  Anyone in res life will understand every single one.

http://paulgordonbrown.com/2014/08/07/residence-life-explained-in-emoji/

Will be posting about the 'wonderful' month of August in the next couple of days!