Stress

I have a stressful job. Most people familiar with any university system will generally tell you that they know the Financial Aid system is stressful, or that they're glad they don't work there. Then there are the people unfamiliar with the inner workings of a college; intelligent people, who have no idea that they're asking an idiotic question: "So, do you get your summers (or Spring Break, Christmas break, etc) off? What do you do during those times?"

My coworkers repeat those conversations with everything from laughter to frustration to resentment lingering in their voices...

And then there is Fall. I realized last week that fall is a four-letter word, then quickly felt semi-guilty. I'm not using it as a swear word, I just realized that I could.

Fall is a time of dread, a season that creates tales of lore. The context usually refers to the first 4 weeks or so of the semester, a period in which mayhem is closely adverted and the brave tremble to walk.

Fall is here.

My lunch breaks are no longer a guarantee... barely an expectation. Overtime is almost forbidden, yet longed and pleaded for. The fact that we can't get into the office until a few minutes before the doors open at 8:00am causes endless frustration. Lines of scared, frustrated, & confused students await. Processing backs up, paperwork accumulates, and woe surrounds the person who was not completely caught up ahead of time.

In the midst of this, while still trying to maintain my normally busy/full work schedule, I am now responsible for training and supervising 3 temporary staff who barely know what they're doing. Our 10 student employees (also my jurisdiction) are back, and need schedules confirmed, paperwork updated, and need the dress code/policies/updates refreshed & reminded to them. My boss is trying to rely on me to help her hold the entire office together and functioning as a well oiled unit, while I'm still trying to learn the balance of how much authority I really have among my coworkers. Speaking of whom, one of them just turned in her two week notice. Wonderful timing.

In the midst of it all, I'm amazed to feel an underlying peace. Someone's praying for me, I think... Thank you, to whoever you are!