Today is RA Appreciation Day. It's one of those days where ResLife takes time to recognize and commend the hard work of every Resident Assistant and Community Assistant serving The University of Scranton. This year, they have chosen to show this appreciation by having a little get-together this afternoon in the Student Forum in DeNaples. And yes...the chocolate fountain will be making an appearance.

And kudos to RHA, the Residence Hall Association, as well for showing their appreciation. I came back to my apartment this morning to find a sign with my name and some Pop Rocks on my door.

This past weekend was the first session of Royal Nights, and my Royal Nighters (as we call them) had some questions about what an RA is exactly. The best word that I can use to describe my position is "resource." RAs are an invaluable source of information, especially for first-year students, who ask tons of questions about The University as well as the surrounding area. As a freshmen RA, I can tell you that we are definitely put to the test when it comes to services and activities on campus and elsewhere. In addition to our positions as resources, we also work diligently to build community on our individual floors as well as in the greater University community. We put on programs a few times a month (usually involving food) that give our residents the chance to have some fun while getting to know each other a little bit better.

We're also there for the tough times, too. If residents need someone to talk to or have a concern about something with their fellow residents or something in their own personal lives, we are there as listeners. If roommates or floormates are having issues with each other, RAs are there to help mediate as best they can. And all of these situations usually end up in everyone on the floor learning a bit more about one another and becoming closer than they were before.

Royal Nights--definitely a cool weekend. The two guys who stayed with me were named Ryan and Chris. They were both interested in our business program. (Even though I'm not a business major, I have a bunch of friends who are, so I was definitely able to give them some information. And the information that I know from working at the Admissions Visitors' Center didn't hurt either!) I love participating in this program. It gives me a chance to show a few people who are making one of the biggest decisions of their lives just how great a place The University of Scranton really is.

I always try to impart upon visiting students how great the sense of community is here. Sure, the academics are amazing and impressive. Faculty and staff will definitely prepare you to face the world. But what makes us even more of a welcoming place is the fact that caring about The University goes beyond the student population. Faculty and staff take an active part in the growth and development of the campus community. They don't run for their cars as soon as classes are done for the day. They stick around to be on that committee or serve as moderator to that club. They go above and beyond, serving as inspirations to in a myriad of ways.

Royal Nights II is this weekend, and I'm hoping for another great experience.

Personally, I'm doing well. Classes are progressing smoothly. For all of you out there who know how much of a technology geek I am, I'm really excited about this whole Google-calendar-and-contacts-syncing-over-the-air-with-my-iPhone situation. I have turned from a die-hard Outlook fan into a Googlehead (yes--geeky, but I'm okay with that). And there's talk of a new iPhone coming in June. Well...I'm satisfied with my 3G for right now.

Liz and I have been talking about going on a day trip to NYC sometime next month with one of the departments here on campus. It has something to do with a WWII memorial. I haven't gotten all the facts yet, but it sounds like something fun. Sure, I love being in Scranton, but getting out and going somewhere outside the college bubble every once in a while is part of the whole college process.

And on the "future" front...I've submitted my graduate school application to The U's school counseling program. I'm excited, to say the least, about the possibility of being a part of the program, especially when I hear from Liz how well her undergraduate counseling classes are going for her. Attending grad school here and working a full-time job is ambitious, but it's a challenge I feel ready to tackle.

Tomorrow, I have a program to see "Quantum of Solace" as presented by USPB, the University of Scranton Programming Board, in DeNaples. It should definitely make for a good ending to my class week. Yes, I'll miss "The Office," but that's what the Internet is for.

That's it for now. Later days!

~Rob

PS--A view of Scranton from behing the Long Center. Enjoy!

Posted by Robert Swinton at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I know that I keep talking about "being back" and "getting back," but now, I'm "back back." By that, I mean that I've survived through my first week of classes, 17 freshmen boys invading my floor, and scheduling all of my projects, assignments, and exams. The snow in Scranton has begun to melt, which is a sign for me that this is going to be a great last semester!

Classes have been interesting so far. I've decided to take a lighter course load this semester. Although classes are my number one priority, a few other things have crept to the top of my list as well.

Grad School
For the past year, I really haven't made any strict decisions on graduate school, other than the fact that I want it to happen within the next two years. My goal is to get my master's degree in school counseling. For a long time now, I have been working with students, specifically high school students. After graduating from my high school, I was hired by the NYCDOE to work at my alma mater in the College Office. I worked there for a little over a year, helping seniors decide where they wanted to go to college and helping them get the paperwork done. When I transferred to The U, I begin to work at Admissions, where I speak to high school students all the time. So, as you may have guessed, I'm looking to work as a counselor with high school students. At least, that's the plan!

Full-Time Job
This is my immediate goal. I've been sending out resumes for the past few months in search of a job in three fields: Admissions, ResLife, or education. Undoubtedly, I'd like to continue my work with students, and these three fields would definitely give me that opportunity. I have diversified experiences in all three fields, so I feel pretty confident in my ability to do well in whichever field that happens to call me back. With whatever job I get, though, graduate school will stay at the top of the list as a priority. Working full-time and attending grad school classes in the evenings will be tough, but my experiences at The U have prepared me for those tough times. As it is now, I begin my days early and don't get back to my apartment until the evening most days. I'm sure that this new routine would take some getting used to, but my passion for what I'll be doing will definitely keep me going.

So yes, there is a lot to think about here. Like I said, I'm still giving my all to classes, but I'm working on these other priorities in the foreground as well. As my mom always tells me, time management is key, and I've done a pretty good job at learning to manage my time. In college, I suppose you really don't have much of a choice.

On a lighter note, Saturday is Valentine's Day. Yes, I'm working for a few hours, but Liz and I are heading out to Cafe Classico for a nice dinner. And who knows...there might even be a surprise in there for her.

RA interviews are continuing at a steady pace. In a couple of weeks, all of the candidates will be coming together for the group portion of the interview process. That means that there are going to be a lot of very energetic people in one place. (If you ever wonder what RAs are like, take a look----->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUJniTi9kLY)

Well, I'm looking forward to lunch in a few hours. Monday is one of the few days Liz's schedule aligns with mine so that we're able to get lunch together. And, of course, Heroes is on tonight. It's always a good ending to my longest day of the week.

Later days!

~Rob

PS--Congratulations to all of you who have been accepted to The U! I hope to see you around campus for one of our Royal Nights and Preview Day! (BTW...coming to The University of Scranton = one of the best choices you might make...ever. Doubt me? Take a peek here...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDQZJjMVyVE and here...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttdOoDJqtiY)

Posted by Robert Swinton at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am now finished with the second day of classes of my last semester as an undergraduate at The University of Scranton.

Scary though--one that will definitely take some getting used to.

I had a similar feeling at the beginning of last semester, but it is nothing like the ton of bricks that I'm attempting to recover from. I've talked about this a little bit before, and, undoubtedly, I feel like I am ready to face the waiting world. Still, that feeling of no longer having school to somehow protect me from the hard world is...well, I don't yet have a word for it. I'm not afraid that I'll fail; I know that I won't. It's almost like Linus giving up his blankie. Of course, he can live without it perfectly fine (and probably more healthily), but if he could, he would choose to hold onto it as long as he could. That might not be the best explanation, but take from it what you will.

With that in mind, I'm ready to face this last semester with all the pomp and circumstance that it deserves. I'm looking back on my years here at Scranton with some of the best memories of my entire life--some of them have happened here, and some of them have just happened to coincide with my being here. More than anything, though, I think about how I've grown as a person. The University has taught me to question the world around me in an attempt to make it better. With the words of St. Ignatius in mind, I've already begun to rub a few sticks together; I've even started a few puny fires here and there.

More and more, I am thinking about this as more of a commencement and less of a conclusion. I have so many opportunities in front of me. (As cliché as that sounds, I really do.) To a certain extent, I almost don't know what to do with myself. I'm looking to continue the work that I've started here at The U by working for others, to somehow strive to increase the quality of life for the general population one way or another. I have my heart set on going to grad school for school counseling (and I will peruse that), but I'm a go with the flow type of person. I'll tackle the perils, the promise, and the opportunities as the world presents them to me.

I go into the world with extensive theory, hands-on experience, wonderful memories, lifelong friends, and an overwhelming sense of responsibility to leave this world just a bit better than I found it.

Posted by Robert Swinton at 3:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)