So when we all arrived at Temple, we realized that we would be turning Temple's 1300 Residetial Hall into TFA land. Well, now we're all LIVING in TFA land, to the extent that none of us saw coming.
Welcome to TFA land, land of relentless pursuit, optimism, and acronyms. We weren't joking when in our Ops song we sang about the 300 something thousand acronyms that now rule our lives. Welcome to the land where every single second is planned in accordance to an action planner, aka a to-do list on steroids.
The arrival of the CMs (core members) has increased the feeling of TFA-land-ness. While we used to rule 1300, we now see the lobbies crowded with recent college grads, typing furiously on their laptops to try to create the perfect new lesson plan. The copy center has actually had a few users, the once almost empty computer lab is now full, and there is a line at the printer. 1300 now springs alive (well, maybe that's too strong--reluctantly drags itself out of bed is more like it...) at 5am, as 650 CMs head off to schools. At 4:30pm, these CMs return, to set the pace of our afternoons again.
As a member of the Office Operations team, my day doesn't actually begin unti around 2pm. I usually get up around 8 or 9am, go for a run (I've found a great route, aka ONE TURN that will get me to the city center--awesome!), mess around in my dorm room, and head to lunch before our team meeting. Our team meeting usually lasts until around 3, giving us an hour and a half to tie up loose ends before the masses return. During this time, we clean and restock various workspaces for CMs and staff members, ready the copy center for what will someday be SUPER heavy use, deposit all mail to the CM and staff mailboxes, deal with packages, and update the news and entertainment boards, and deliver supplies to any staff members who have requested supplies since late the night before. The package center is open from 4:30pm-6pm, and then the copy center is open from 5pm to midnight. At some point, we each get an hour dinner break. While that seems like a while, the 15 minutes to and from the dining hall takes up quite a chunk, but the half hour is always nice, especially when I get to catch up with friends on different teams.
After dinner, we head back to the copy center until around 1am. It's a long day.
Despite the long hours, though, I really am enjoying the work here--especially when I get to work on different projects. Yesterday, we distributed the corps member kits. It didn't go nearly as smoothly as anyone had hoped, and since it was my project, I was very shaken up with how I felt I had failed. There were problems I could have anticipated better, but there were also problems I didn't have the perspective to anticipate, so it was in all aspects a very valuable learning experience, and one that I am happy to have under my belt. I learned that even the most simple project requires unbelievably detailed planning when it involves more than a hundred people. I learned how to react positively under more in-the-moment stress than I thought I could handle. I learned how to be sweet and syrupy to people I don't think even my own mother could handle. I learned how to reflect negatively and positively on a project--to really think critically about the systems that were in place and how they could be modified and fixed. I learned how to LEARN from failure.
Most importantly, however, I learned about the support system I had already developed in the 2 weeks we've been here. I saw this in so many stages--first, when things began to turn chaotic, Operations Directors, managers, even the manager of the Philadelphia institute herself stepped in to help. And by help, I mean work HARD. Every single person involved in this undertaking was soaked in sweat from lifting boxes and giant pads of paper and running around. Besides logistics, however, even more importantly, I learned of the emotional support I have in the people I work with here. To be somewhat candid, I don't have a very thick skin, and I had internalized some of the less pleasant interactions I had witnessed/been a part of that afternoon. When compared to the emotionally high, verrrry perky mood I had been in, the mood I was in after distribution was less than excited, happy, or pleasant. I didn't snap at anyone, but I was certainly less than bubbly. Two of the managers I work with noticed and took the time to let me vent to them, and then reassured me that not only was my system/the distribution NOT the end of the world (duh, Geales) but also that the less than pleasant interactions had nothing to do with the importance or value of my work, but instead of the stressful and new environment people are finding themselves in. Which I understand. And I promise not to take anything personally anymore. HA.
Or at least I'll try.
So that was my yesterday. Not the high point of the week, but necessary anyways.
Today was MUCH better. Tonight, though 1am still seemed unbelievably late to be working, Marquita and I spent our hours dancing to the likes of Mariah Carey, Train, and Hanson. Oh yes.
I also LOVED the corps members I met today in the copy center. They were all incredibly sweet, grateful for any help I was able to offer, and enjoyed my over-caffeinated humor (or at least pretended like they did).
Another high point, the resource room opened today. It's like a teacher's paradise--they have everything--books of all sorts, craft supplies, everything a budding teacher needs. Seriously, I think I could spend hours in there! And many of the new CMs feel the same. It was so exciting to see them come from the resource room with books and books with examples and essays to show their students tomorrow.
Speaking of students, I can't wait to go see a school site! Everything here is becoming more and more real. First, the CMs actually arrived. Seeing them get off the bus. Handing them supplies. Seeing them copy math worksheets. I can't wait to see the kiddos!
Well, chickadees, I'm off to bed. Sorry for the long, probably boring post. If you've read this far, kudos and kisses to you.
happy day :)
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