It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Although today's post title may make you think of the holiday season - I beg to differ.  The time of year I'm referring to is the start of a new school year.  And although I cherish summer... the reason I went into Higher Education was to work with college students, not just on a college campus.  

Today marked first-year student move-in at Marquette.  I've worked at multiple institutions and been present at various hall openings, but have found common themes woven throughout... Every first-year students is a bit nervous about their upcoming new chapter in life, parents are anxious about leaving their child, and campus administrators and student leaders are excited and enthusiastic, welcoming students with open arms.

So although I know this means I'm back to managing crisis and longer work days - I can't help but to think how the positives outweigh it all.  I had a student from a previous institution today mention how something I told him is serving as his backbone of belief.  What a powerful statement.  It's messages like these that make me remember why I went into this field, why I love my job, and why I just love this time of year.