Session Updates

It's kind of funny, but, as the summer's coming to a close, I think I've become fairly comfortable in my routine during Auburn's Camp War Eagle sessions. Just to shake things up a bit, Sessions 6 and 7 were a bit different from the others that I've worked this summer.

On Day 1 of Session 6, Brittany (the FYE Graduate Assistant) and I decided to switch duties to see how the other operated. Generally, I spend the day with the camp counselors working check-in outside, shuttling the faculty honoree to their designated locations and assisting "as needed." On the other hand, Brittany works with the parent counselors during the parent check-in at the Student Center as well as throughout the sessions that afternoon. It was very good for me to see the other side of orientation since I often miss what truly goes on with parents beyond the major sessions and programs. I definitely appreciated the climate change as it was even a tad bit too cold for me indoors. (Note: this is not complaining about being cold- Ella - I'm simply stating that it was a different temperature than that to which I had become accustomed.) Also, I loved seeing the different concerns that parents have and that don't even enter students' brains during orientation.

Session 6 also served as our session for athletes... take a minute to just imagine all of the possibilities! In particular, one portion of my day was especially difficult thanks in part to some of these students. While it could have been much worse, the Learning for Life presentations that Codi and I led were definitely very low on our list of favorites/most receptive/most respectful groups. Our first group was much more talkative than usual though we were prepared considering it was the eleventh time we had presented during camp sessions alone. However, our second group was even more rambunctious and just plain disrespectful at times. Again, it was not everyone in the room nor was it all of the athletes, but a group of about six sitting in the back row felt it necessary to talk loudly the entire time. Of course that meant that they missed the directions entirely and caused some issues later in the stereotyping activity. They wanted to contribute to the conversation at inappropriate times and were not very fond of being called out for their behavior. One shining moment in this 30-minute train wreck would have to be when we asked the group to provide stereotypes they had heard about Auburn students and then others would provide a personal story or example to refute that statement thereby proving that not everything that is said can apply to all members of a certain group. Well, one of the stereotypes was that Auburn students are "classy." To refute this, one girl, who had been quiet and didn't participate much before, stood up to say that there were a number of people in the room that she didn't think were very classy based on how they were acting as she shot a venomous glare toward the athletes' corner. It took a lot to walk out of the room with a straight face after that.

Finally, this week's session has been a bit of new and bittersweet experiences combined. The new came in the form of a wandering camper who had missed a bus or gotten on the wrong bus and somehow ended up about 2 hours away in Atlanta with no cell phone and no way to get back to Auburn. Since I thought myself to be the most expendable, I offered to make the trip to pick her up and bring her to camp. She had been through a lot over the past few days trying to get to Auburn and I was very surprised at how well she was holding up all things considered.

The bittersweet came as I realized that this session represented many "last times" for me in my current position. Next week, I'll be returning home for my brother's wedding so I will not be able to be around for most of Session 8. Today was the last day that I'll be able to present a session of Learning for Life or of Tigers in a New Territory. I've grown to appreciate the little things about these opportunities and have learned to read the expression on a co-presenters face that says, "This one's all yours..." Tonight was also the last time that I'll see Real World: Auburn performed. As I've mentioned before, Real World has become something special to me during my time here since I was given the chance to provide some input. I'm so proud of all of the camp counselors for their hard work and I think they are all really comfortable in their roles (well, as comfortable as some can be) and are able to shine on stage.

Even more than these, I've come to realize that I've barely got three weeks left to soak in as much as possible and absorb the knowledge and the guidance and the friendships that are available to me now. It's hard to think that so much time has passed already but I am so thankful for everything that I've gone through. I only wish I had taken more time to get to know those around me, to branch out, and to really experience Auburn.


**So, this may be uncalled for but I'm adding a "Kleenex warning" on this one, especially for a few people who have been known to cry over a thing or two.**

Over the years, I've encountered a very wide range of students through orientation. Last week I met one who was truly unique and, quite honestly, inspiring. Like many students, she was very active at her high school in both academics and extra curricular activities. She's worked at an equestrian center for clients in need of that particular kind of therapy who also had a developmental delay or other special needs. She came to Auburn to major in biology in hopes of one day becoming a neurologist that specializes in special needs children and the vulnerabilities they often encounter. While impressive, the most amazing thing about her was that in February 2009, she was unable to walk, stricken with a neurological disorder of her own. Though I'm not entirely sure of the details- her heart beats about as quickly as a hummingbird's, she has episodes multiple times a day without warning in which she essentially passes out but is still able to hear everything going on around her- she overcame a number of obstacles to reach her goals and strive to become the person she wants to be, not for herself but for the benefit of others. She was incredibly candid about her experiences and seemed to glaze over the concept that it could have been something from which she could not have recovered. To her, there was no other option but to survive, learn to walk again (she's just begun running again as well), and use her experiences to help those in similar situations. I'll probably never see her again but she was truly an inspiration for me and I hope to keep her positivity and perseverance in mind for many years to come.