Cravens- Week 2- MSU Housing and Residential Life

     It was an interesting week in housing.  With orientation starting, the assignments office was preparing for an onslaught of parents and students with questions and concerns.  Lunches were catered in, and hours were extended to accommodate the heavy traffic flow.  I was nervous to go into work.  In my mind, I could see the line of parents out the door, and me with very little knowledge to find them answers.  As I rounded the corner to the assignments office on Tuesday, I braced myself for the worst.  Then, something interesting happened; there was no line of parents, no sign of students, and the office was quiet as a mouse. I feel this is going to be typical of student affairs work in general; expect the unexpected.  I also feel the lack of parents and students with questions speak to the efficiency of the assignments office.  The staff and students in assignments work hard to accommodate the students as best they can and take time to answer all questions clearly and honestly. 

     Through residential life, I did have the opportunity to interact with orientation attendees.  On Thursday, I was able to observe and take part in the housing tours.  This was a great experience.  I was able to spend a lot of time with undergraduates working in housing and observe their interactions with each other and campus visitors.  Then, I was able to greet families and escort them back to the model room.  I truly enjoyed taking part in this experience.  I liked speaking with the families and learning about their experience on campus during orientation.  It was so fun to see a mix of the excitement and apprehension as they prepare to start their college experiences.  Some students would have moved in that night and others seemed unsure about beginning the process.  I enjoyed being a friendly face for both groups and hope I gave them a positive experience while on the MSU campus.