the most rewarding week of my life

 Here at my school we have this incredible first-year student orientation program.  It begins on Sunday and has activities planned up until the first day of class the following Monday.  I went through it last year as a freshman and had a pretty decent experience-nothing that left a mark on my first year here.  I don't know what convinced me to apply to be a Team Leader (TL) for this year's program, but I applied, got the interview, and was selected to be a TL.  

Throughout this journey of being trained and then actually being a TL to 14 students last week, I have met so many new friends, learned so many new things about myself, and experienced a week that will have a hard time being topped.  

We started training in the March/April time period of last spring and I was in a group with five other TLs (we are the ones in the light blue shirts in the photos). My Super (who is awesome! He is the one who trained us. They are in the yellow shirts!) had a buddy (she is also awesome!) who also had six TLs she was training and we spent a lot of time together (they are the ones in the pink shirts).  I never knew 14 people who all came from such different backgrounds could come together so quickly and form a bond so tightly.  I love all 13 of those people with my entire heart.  They went through this last week with me when we were running on less than five hours of sleep each night.  I know that I can trust any of them with anything and that I can count on them to be there for me at any time.  

We all shared together in the nervousness of being in charge of [around] 14 students per each of us.  We didn't know what to expect of the incoming students or how the week would play out.  But we were there for each other (most of the time as comic relief, other times for support) and I loved seeing us all pull together.  Those nerves, however, seem almost silly now.  My 14 students have touched my life in ways I didn't think possible.  I had no idea how rewarding this past week would be.  

all my students! 

It has been such a neat experience watching them grow more comfortable here in just a matter of a week.  From last Sunday, when they would barely talk, to last night's "reunion" dinner when I couldn't get them to stop talking.  It puts such a smile on my face watching them hang out after this welcome week program--without being forced to. (: I can remember one moment in particular that has really touched me.  I believe it was on Wednesday and I had left them outside on their dorm's front lawn to go to the bathroom.  When I had come back out of the building, they were playing the human knot game without me having to suggest it.  We also had to make a beacon to carry around all week so that we were easily identified in large crowds (there were 5,400 of them, so yes, the beacons came in handy when we were all together).  My favorite animal being the chicken, I of course, had a chicken that my dad and I made together out of a bunch of junk pieces we found lying around.  My students named him Bruce and loved carrying him from place to place (and thank goodness as Bruce was no light chicken).  Anytime Bruce had a piece fall off of him I thought my students were going to cry! It might have been silly, but it still touched my chicken-lovin' heart.  

I would also like to take this small space of this post to write out how much I absolutely loved everyone' s enthusiasm this week.  My favorite part of the enthusiasm would have to be either all the cheering for different hall teams randomly throughout the week or else the dancing! Oh my gosh the dancing! I especially loved the common bond dance.  You guys, I love this program. 

There are still so many parts of this week I haven't been able to process because they caught me so off guard and touched me more than I ever could have imagined.  I love this program so much.  I love that there were almost a thousand of us TLs who love our school so much that we came back to school a week and a half early to help spread school pride to incoming students.  I love the idea that our school has a program for incoming students to dip their feet into what it means to be a Boiler and to get better acquainted with the campus before they are thrown into the school year.  I love the idea of FreeZone and getting to know people before judging them.  I love the relationships I have made and my school pride which has grown even larger.  

my beautiful TL (and Tim&Anna) family 

our awkward family photo. yes, we know we rocked it. These are all the lovely TLs I mentioned above. 

My confession: In high school I felt like I had my "home" in newspaper and Riley Dance Marathon.  Last year I felt like I was still searching for my "home" here on campus.  Well, I am so ecstatically pleased to say, I think I have found my "home".