On shower shoes and empty cans of Beast

I'm on the cusp of 29 years old and typing this blog from among the most spartan of dorm rooms I have ever seen.

I'm attending a "college camp" along with representatives from a variety of other colleges, universities and high schools along the East Coast, here to mentor a group of students through their college search process. It's something about which I'm simultaneously incredibly excited and so nervous I could wet my pants. More on that later.

Anyway, we're staying in dormitories and I've been assigned a single in Baldwin Hall. As I'm sure you'd expect, oversized individual portraits of the Baldwin brothers flank the entrance, with a group shot of the boys acting out Dogs Playing Cards gracing the lounge. Ha. I'm just kidding. Just one portrait of Daniel is in the dorm. That's all the Baldwin a dormful of people really needs, after all.

So this campus is really quite pretty, and reminds me of what college is SUPPOSED to look like. The last two colleges for which I've worked have been urban, so despite my own rural and idyllic undergraduate campus setting, I somehow had a brain cramp as to how it's all supposed to play out. But, lots of rolling fields, open space, and buildings that mimic castles in their construction, even though the college itself is only about 75 years old. Aaahh.. smell the academia!

Everyone in my program is very nice so far. We had a lovely cocktail hour and dinner together. Wasn't exactly like my college experience - Amstel Light and sushi on the porch of the President's Office Building. I am happy to report, however, on the floor just below me is a dorm room devoted to storing the alcohol for our faculty over the next few days. There's some pretty good stuff in there, but when I saw the Miller Lite I was at least SLIGHTLY reminded of my undergraduate years... then again, it was mostly Beast back in the day. It is funny though how, despite age and appearance of faculty (ranging from late 20s to 70s), being on a college campus (other than our own, of course) and staying in a dorm assumes mass drinking.

So my dorm room. Wow. Well, first of all, all of my undergraduate dorm rooms were carpeted, so the linoleum floor thing, or whatever this is, always throws me off. We all have singles, thank God, but the doors and walls are so thin that just because no one gets to see me sleep, they'll be certain to hear me toss and turn. I opened the door to find a wardrobe directly in front of me, matching desk with chair next to it, closet to my left and twin bed with paper thin sheets at the far corner of the room. I can't for the life of me remember when I last slept in a twin bed. Not that I'm too good for the twin, I think it's just simply a sure sign of adulthood. But that's it. All I really need is a cross on the wall and a black habit and I could be assuming a new profession. And the group bathroom.. again, how DID we ever do this?

The program starts tomorrow and I'll be assigned 5-7 kids with which to work. They'll attend lectures and meet with me both in a group and individually to develop some ideas for where to apply and how to successfully navigate the college search and application process. I know it will be great, but I know it will be tough too. I'm worried about the kids liking me, but more concerned about having thoughtful and useful suggestions and advice for them. Of course, that's part of the beauty of the structure of this program. At the end of each day, we all grab beers, go down to the lounge so it seems like we're just kicking back, but then we'll just ask each others' advice on how to properly advise each student. I had assumed most of these students would be very motivated, engaged and on the ball, but I've since been assured that's not the case. So I'll have a least one problem kid in my group - one who doesn't talk, doesn't want to be there, or doesn't give a crap about anything I have to say, but that will just be like a day at my office, so at least I know I'll get out alive. And at least I don't have to pay these kids money for the pleasure.

So, more to come. It's just odd to be here, typing, without a TV or stereo or any form of entertainment for the rest of the evening. We just had a mini gathering downstairs but I think everyone is just tired from the day and knows we have a big day tomorrow. I know there will be more socializing as the program goes on but, again, all with a purpose. It's fine by me as I'm really not here to party. I just can't remember the last Saturday night that saw me in bed at 10 pm... especially in college.