Get You Through the Day

“Ah, I forgot my lunch this morning.”

“I very rarely eat lunch.”

“Really? Why not?”

“Well I hate buying it for one thing..”

“Oh and you hate carrying things too.”

“Yeah, so I’ll usually fill up on a good breakfast to get me through the day, but I’m usually pretty hungry by dinner.”

I overheard this conversation about 3 minutes ago as two middle-aged men gathered at the MARC exit door to Rockville station. I’m not sure if they were friends or just frequent riders. The conversation was simple, but revealed so much more about the man who was just sitting next to me in the seat too small for the both of us. It made me think about the way he makes decisions and prioritizes things in his life. When he first said he didn’t each lunch, I figured it would be followed up with some statement about being too busy because I saw him dialing away at emails on his blackberry earlier. I thought lunch was another one of those in the way steps of feeling accomplished in our to do list driven lives. His reasoning was simple really, but it’s the “to get me through the day” part that sparked my interest.

Breakfast would be his first and last meal until dinner to get him through his day. Whatever he ate that morning would have to hold him through the day because that was the decision he made from cost and comfort. Does he put extra thought into his breakfast? Does he think before pouring a mediocre sized bowl of Cheerios will this get me through my day?

What gets you through your day? I don’t mean what meals or snacks do you consume to provide that physical energy, but what gives you that spark to get through another day that could be just like the other?I know everyone in student affairs says no day is alike, but I mean really they are. We aren’t really that special. What gets you through the monotony of your fifth committee meeting where nothing seems to get done? What gets you thorough that boring one on one where you just want to through your hands up and walk out? It’s crazy to think how often people’s professional lives are eight hours of “getting through” until they can work resume their personal life or vice versa.

I’m reading this book that talks about how to live a happier life blah blah and it talks about how your work and personal life shouldn’t be separate. You should bring the same passions to your work as your do your personal. What you do for work is serving your organization and those impacted, while what you do for home is serving and providing for you family. No matter the location, it’s all service driven by some passion. If you don’t love your personal or professional or really what should be the marriage of the two, maybe think about reconsider what you’re doing to get through the day.

In a perfect world, everyone would be in their dream career with their dream lives. That may not always happen to the tee, but there are ways you can influence your life to do more than just get through the day, but actually embrace and enjoy your day. It’s always the little things that make me remember why I love what I do and who I am. It’s the little Facebook notes or emails. It’s the little laughs or moments I want to punch someone in the face. There are things that get me through the day beyond waiting for it to be over. If you can’t find this is in work, take on a new hobby or a new pet. We are charged with keeping our lives rich and fulfilled, so do something to spark your inner child and do more than just get through the day.

First Day of the Next Eight Weeks

So today started my journey with NASPA. Like the typical excited kindergartener, I laid my first day of work outfit out to go along with my new fancy work backpack. I spent the last part of my evening getting some wonderful well wishes then parted ways with a goodnight to begin a goodnights rest. Well, that is exactly opposite of what I got. I was home alone and waiting for my brother to arrive. He never did, so I tossed and turned all night. I guess that isn’t important.

My mom called to wake me, ha typical, and I began my morning swag routine. Two splashes of Old Spice in the loofa, a little Aveeno on my chocolately brown face, topped with my featured scent that my swag refuses to name. One windsor knot tie later, I was out the door to start the internship that is half of the inspiration for this blog. I hopped in Harold (my beautiful Scion) and drove to the MARC train. I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I followed everyone else. Typically, I got lost in DC but eventually found the office as my swag was now drenched in DC humidity sweat.

Walking in the office felt like NASPA Annual Conference reunion. I was warmly greeted by Tiki and Tonya (sounds like a show) to begin the day full of Brittany jokes. Of course, they had stuff to say about me being ovedressed and I begged to differ each time.

It’s funny. It was my first day and I am already labeled the problem child. During our office tour, Tonya told the other interns “if it breaks, blame Brittany.” Dag. First day, I’m already the butt of the office jokes. Tiki joked with Tonya saying that I said I wasn’t scared of her and I so modestly replied I’m not even scared of my parents. We all know thats’s true. It was good feeling that we belonged and were welcomed.

We went through a long day of orientation and new people stuff, but all very helpful.

There’s three other interns.

Queena….graduate student from Vermont. We were roommates at conference. She’s a Cali girl.

Matt…just graduated from from Urbana Champaign. Really happy exciting kind of guy. Definitely could be a summer bro.

Amelia….rising junior at North Florida. She was pretty quiet in the beginning, but actually very funny. She had some good one liners.

Then there will be some random folks joining us. So that’s the little team. The “summers” as NASPA affectionately calls us.

This week we will be traveling in Harold to UMCP to help with the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders. We have to be there by 7:00am Thursday and I’m not done until 9:30pm. Ahhh #naspaproblems. It should be cool going. We will be going to the Newseum! Right on!

Anyways, my first day went really well. I’m excited to see what this summer has in store. I have tomorrow’s outfit all laid out, sans tie since that’s all I heard about today. The heat up here is ridiculous. Not a fan. Ha I need a fan. Ha, no drizzy drake. Okay bedtime.