A Hero

About a week and a half ago I popped into the M.O.V.E. Office (the community service office on campus) to talk with the Directors of the program Heidi & Erin. Nothing special, just stopping in to say hi and getting an answer to something trivial.

After getting the amazing, slightly screechy, welcome from Heidi and the peaceful hello from Erin, Heidi asked if I would like to talk to her sons preschool class about heroes (her son attends the Early Learning Center at SMC). Apparently the class is working on a peaceful classroom unit and they are inviting guests who are the “good-guys” or heroes into talk to the class about what it means to be a hero.

Being an Elementary Ed major, I was obviously excited about the opportunity. Little kids, heroes…I mean, maybe I could even wear a cape! I was psyched. Obviously the next thing I needed to know was what type of hero I would be talking about. When I asked, her reply was: “You, of course!”. WAIT. Back that bus RIGHT up. Heidi, I know that you love to flatter us, but I’m no freakin hero.

As I stood in the office wondering how the frick she was going to justify this situation, Peaceful Erin turns around from her e-mail and says “because you volunteer!”  Apparently, another parent had suggested that the teacher invite some people who volunteer in to talk about their heroic work.

Even though I can’t believe that I’m some type of hero for the service work I do, I can see how volunteer work can be seen a heroic act. I actually love the idea. AND I love it even more that I get to talk about it with children.

The service I have done here has been without a doubt the most meaningful part of my college experience. Service has shaped my beliefs in so many aspects, and I know that it can have that same effect on so many people. I think that service is vital for the survival of the world. I feel incredibly privileged to get to speak to children about serving and am also really proud of the SMC Early Learning Center for embracing this and other types of non-traditional heroism.

So from 10:00 – 10:30am on Monday, I will play the part of a hero to a group of preschoolers along with another one of my classmates. Our outfits are yet to be determined, but obviously I’ll be pulling for a cape! 

My Space

No, not the past-its-prime social networking site that was popular a few years back, but here. My blog. This page that you have stumbled upon today – or the place that you have continued to come back to for one reason or another over the last few years.

When I started this project, I had a clear vision. This was my space for updates, pictures, videos, opinions, likes and even my dislikes. Yes, I was blogging for the SMC Admission Office, but the content would not be selected or limited by them. The philosophy was: be personal and hopefully someone else (ideally a student interested in SMC) will feel a connection. At the very least, visitors would get a glimpse into my reality – to see what life’s like for an average college student. Simple. Not a lot of frill, just me.

I think that I have stayed true to my self-designed philosophy. I don’t write about things that a targeted group of people want to hear about. I write about what I want to talk about. I write when I feel like it and my posts are as long as I want them to be. I like that. I hope that this space is helpful – yet, that is never my intention when writing.

Social Media at SMC was certainly here before I was, but it seems to me that its popularity really began to surge and evolve right around the time I started. I have seen the “online push” happen here. I’ve tried out countless new technologies/websites because of it. For the most part I have truly enjoyed the experience, but as we continue to delve into the field of social media, and more and more of our students begin to interact over the web, I hope that we don’t become too “cookie-cutter”.

Blogs are personal. Twitter is personal. Heck, that’s what its all about isn’t it? Being personal, without leaving the comfort of your computer, blackberry, iPhone or however else you interact out in web 2.0. So lets keep it real! Be yourself. AND Have FUN! I think those two things alone will attract lots of people.

I’ve read the “cookie-cutter” blogs and frankly, they make me gag AND to top it off, they’re boring! I promise this will never be one of those spaces. You’ll always get me and my thoughts.

If you keep reading, GREAT! If not, I wish you the best in finding someone you connect with (lord knows you have enough other choices!).

My Obsession with Alliot

I am finally admitting it to the world. I am in love with our dining hall. Well not really the room itself (I mean, frankly the photos hanging up must be from the early 90’s), but rather….the food.

It may come as a shock to most. I mean, I’m pretty sure that every college-aged person I have ever met talks about how awful their dinning hall is/was and how happy they are/were to have a “home cooked” meal, but honestly I think that they are a big group of whiners and they should suck it up and realize how good they have it. I’d like to know when else they are going to be given multiple options of food choices at every meal they eat.

I absolutely LOVE that every day I get to get up and walk into a room that has at least 7 different options displayed for me for my breakfast (that doesn’t even count all the mixing and matching of foods that the experienced Alliot-connoisseur comes up with!). Then a few hours later I get to do it all over again for Lunch and then a third freakin time for dinner! On a daily basis I am given no less that 40 meal options. THAT’S INSANE!

Yes, from time to time my “Alliot Circle” (the customary walk around the serving area to find the best meal) comes up short and I don’t like what they are serving (or lately because meal just looks to exotic), but even then how can I go wrong making a PB&J or grabbing a bowl of cereal? The dinning hall is just so easy. You walk in, grab whatever you want, sit and chat with friends for an hour or so until you have to grudgingly drag yourself to your next destination.

Now most seniors opt out of the meal plan as we have kitchens in our houses. At the beginning of the year I was excited to cook for myself and work on my “transition” to the real world. Well guess what? It really STUNK! Over winter break I called our Student Life Office right up and had them add that meal plan right back on! I now have no responsibility to cooking and my life couldn’t be better. I have more time to hang out and at the end of a long day I get to see the friendly face of an Alliot staff member swiping my into a fat kids paradise instead of looking into the dark, cold freezer for something to warm up in the microwave.

Yes, life it good again. (until…I graduate in May….).