Survival

So I have survived my first 9 days of work at the University of Maryland College Park. It's been a crazy whirlwind, but I think I'm getting the hand of it. My hours have been crazy and traffic has been worse, so I've been so busy I collapse as soon as I get home. I'm thankful for the job, but I think I'll be more thankful to be in a routine, if that ever happens.

The good and bad of the new job is that there are 5 new Freshmen counselors total, so we're all learning together. It's good because I feel like I have partners in this navigation of crazy, but its bad because that means there are only 2 returning counselors and they are usually swamped or traveling. It's forced me to organize and work hard which, while exhausting, will be worth it in the end.

So far Maryland is great. I'm happy to be back on a campus and even happier that I'm not starting completely from scratch. I have a support system and a general knowledge, so already I feel like I'm ahead of the curve. I start visits on my own and traveling next week so I'll let you know if that confidence waivers (I hope not!).

For now I'm exhausted. Navigating a new life is hard, something no one really tells you. I have my own office while the other new counselors share, and I'm the only new counselor with a Masters, so even though I'm in a cohort, I'm somewhat isolated. I'm figuring out how to just be and still grow professionally while still maintain a camaraderie with the other newbies. It's just hard when you are used to a community like HESA where open sharing and professional development is occurring 24/7 and expected. I'll figure it out and if not, I'll just pave my own way. After all in the end, this is my job, my experience and I am responsible for my growth whether others participate in that or not.

Being a Terp is awesome so far and it will be even better as I continue to define what that means to me.