Ever since spring quarter has ended, my time has passed by rapidly in Cleveland, Ohio. This Cuyahoga city serves as my home away from home as I officially submerge my lost youth into the world of corporate America.

Lacking any practical expectations in the work of an actuary, I happened to be chosen as one of four new interns for one of the nation’s largest retirement consulting firms and subsequently received summer housing in a downtown studio apartment which happens to be within walking distance of the office – not too mention Jacobs Field, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and The Great Lakes Science Center.

Upon my first day of work, I received the following unexpected materials (among many other gadgets and pamphlets):
- a half dozen 3� binders containing information on basic training and relative numerical data,
- access cards for the parking deck, office building, and office,
- a packet containing information on office procedures and benefit options,
- passcodes for any office machine imaginable,
- and a cubical!

To my understanding, many office veterans shriek at the sight of a cubical, but I’ve enjoyed my 512 cubic feet of pure consulting bliss filled with a desk and computer, stocked bookshelves, and sound-reducing padding on the walls. What tops it off is that the other three interns are located adjacent to my area – allowing for easy access to vital questions that have ranged from:
- How do you calculate normal cost?
- Which binder contains the information I’m looking for?
- Which server do I extract the information to complete a Schedule B?
- …uh…What is a Schedule B, again?
- OK, who’s ready to go to lunch?

As I near the completion of my third week of work, I realize that the term “learning curve� seems to be a never-ending concept created only to keep high morale in times of doubt. Thus far, I’ve enjoyed my opportunities in this position and have since visualized the vague expectations of my intern work (which has little to do with obtaining coffee and typing interoffice memos).

Posted by Signal_Caller at 8:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In case you haven't heard, classes have officially ceased for spring quarter, and only final examinations remain. With this being said, I should have everything accomplished within the next three days, and I’ll soon find myself heading up I-71 towards home on Tuesday.

As I begin to pack my belongings, I can't help but notice how much stuff I have accumulated this past year. Perhaps, I have a knack for visiting any and all student organization meetings strictly for the free pizza and tee shirts. How about all the doodle-filled notebooks that grace my bookshelves? And, don’t forget the heaps of textbooks that the bookstores claim they cannot buy back! Either way you add it up, the piles of stuff have continued to accrue in drawers, on shelves, and underneath my bed for the entire year.

...and now it is time to move it all back home.

You see, when you move into a residence hall in the fall, OSU encourages each student to bring only one carload of personal items to ensure a smooth move-in process. However, they neglect to warn you of how many carloads it may take for you to vacate in the spring.

Over the past few weekends, my parents have made several trips down to Columbus for the sole purpose of filling up their car with my belongings and alleviating my accumulation of necessary college life stuff.

Oh yeah, I would assume that they like to spend time with me as well.

Posted by Signal_Caller at 9:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Up until this past school year, I never knew how captivating a window could be. Thanks to a winter quarter critical writing course spanning the works of Alfred Hitchcock, I happened to stumble upon his 1954 blockbuster Rear Window starring James Stewart.

Similar to L.B. Jeffries in the film, I too have been engrossed by the rear window of my dormitory room. As I make the transition from my penthouse view in Lincoln House to a single residence in Morrill Tower - which happens to provide me with no window space - I can guarantee that I will surely miss the downtown skyline that has treated me to so many midnight vistas.

As you see above, this comforting view each night will sadly be forgotten as I lack my rear window.

Posted by Signal_Caller at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)