Salisbury University Winter Orientation 2013-2014

Whew...that was a long week.
For those of you who did not know, I was busy with Winter Orientation, and I am super sleep-deprived as a result. However, it was also nice to be able to see my other fellow orientation leaders as well as new faces for the spring semester.

Gull Squad 2013-2014
Although it was not as many new students or orientation leaders, I still enjoyed the experience I had this winter. Between skits, dances, informational sessions, bowling, ice breakers, basketball games and hypnotists, we all had a blast with the amount of activities going on back-to-back. It was a much smaller number of people. but that did not take away from the enjoyment of what this program had to offer.

Accomplishing Personal Goals
So during the welcome dance, I decided I would like to be the energy behind our mascot, Sammy the Seagull. I got to walk around as a bird, dance, be in photos and high-five people all while sweating buckets inside a heavy costume. I felt so privileged to be representing the symbol of my school and hyping everyone up at the same time. Also, I apologize to the cheerleader I accidentally high-fived in the chest...it's not easy to see in that thing.
One more thing off my bucket list, or my 101 in 1001!

My Thoughts
Overall, I had a great time. Not only did I get to meet new people, but I got to spend time with people I have not seen in a while. Having said that, it wasn't always easy. While most OLs got decent-sized groups, I was somehow accidentally left without a group at the start. I joined another person's group, then got switched to the transfer student group and then finally I was called on to cover for another coworker's group. Ultimately, out of the eight students in the group, only between two and three were consistently present. 
Initially, I felt envious of all of the other OLs with their own students because I did not have a solid group of my own. To be completely honest, I even felt a little jealous when my group eventually combined with my boyfriend's group. Normally this wouldn't have bothered me at all, but under the circumstances of being in a working environment and having the desire to have my own group, I worked up into an emotional roller coaster that sat like a bowling ball in my stomach. Watching everyone having fun with their group made me feel incompetent, uninvited and lost.
Despite all of this going on, I took the time to appreciate what was around me. I was attentive in nearly every informational session. Each one had their own distinct meaning that I could apply to my own life. Seeing one of my favorite motivational speakers Justin Jones-Fosu talk again was an excellent way to put me back on track as well. I  also had time to socialize with OL's during meals. People were willing to hear me out and let me speak of my frustrations and doubts. Watching the seniors lead in their last orientation helped me too. And finally, my students listened when I asked them to do something for me. That is the most rewarding part about this job: knowing that you make an impact on their lives. I thank them for letting me do my job and show my optimistic attitude I strive to maintain each and every day.
Ultimately, I realized that it was not about me. This was about making connections and investing in other people so they can succeed in their future endeavors. That's when I stopped worrying about adversity and started appreciating the best in people. Now I see more of a purpose in my career plan of producing media: I want others to enjoy what I have put together so that they can find a way to see the good in life.

The Future
Would I do it all again? You bet I would! Maybe I just got unlucky this time around, but I will never stop trying to make a difference. To this day, I run into a lot of my new students and watch as they become bigger and better leaders of this community. And having the opportunity to do this with between 28-60 other leaders is what makes this program phenomenal. We all have different backgrounds, are a part of various student organizations and have different majors. But we all come together as the most quirky people on campus and unite to help lead a new generation into Salisbury University.
Now I'm going to hit the gym for the first time in a week. See ya later!
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