My quarterlife...

The next time you approach a college rep at the beginning of a college fair, and she is sweating and panting and fanning herself with a brochure, just stop and ask yourself if there is ANY chance that she just navigated 8 blocks of city stairways, escalators and curb-checks while dragging a pull-cart loaded with over 50 pounds of college materials with her. IF indeed there is a chance, however small, that this could be the circumstance- proceed with caution...

On a completely unrelated note, I just wrapped another successful week of travel season This week saw me navigating the byways of downtown Minneapolis. I spoke with tons of great students and even learned that indeed, the word Hilton does have meaning beyond just celebutante blonds who favor bejeweled Chihuahuas. In fact, it's an interesting study of contrasts actually, because the Minneapolis Hilton was perhaps the nicest hotel I have ever stayed in- elegant and comfortable with the best customer service I've ever experienced. Now that's HAWT! (What? No? That word's not cool anymore? Oh it never was? Sorry...)

This week also signified my quarter-season the point where my fall travel is about a fourth complete. From here on out I'll mostly be cruising past the corn fields of rural eastern Iowa, struggling to find a radio station that plays music rather than livestock prices and contemplating life. And I'll be soaking up and enjoying every Iowa-farm scented minute of it.

One of my recent contemplations was about my quarterlife crisis. It's kind of like the midlife crisis, without the Botox and new car- because let's face- the mid twenties doesn't lend itself to such luxuries. OK, actually the quarterlife crisis is the panic the young twenty-something endures when realizing they don't actually know anything, the world is a scary place, somebody is trying to sell you insurance for EVERYTHING, they aren't moving up the corporate ladder fast enough, or, uh, that their corporate ladder resembles more of a homemade footstool made in shop class and the bottom rung of the corporate ladder is actually out of reach. I know each age has it's own pressures and worries, it's just that the twenties marks the beginning of a whole lot of grown-up issues. Take employment benefits for instance- deductibles, coinsurance and tax-deferred 401 K matches- most young professionals don't know the ins and outs of such goings ons, let alone that "French" benefits are actually "fringe" benefits- and oh yeah- they don't have any!

Rest assured- I am well past my quarterlife crisis. Well, I mean, I am slightly closer to 30 than 20 so, yeah, I'm good. I've learned a lot of things in my quarter-century (ok, plus just a little) years. I've already told you that I've learned to not be afraid of failure and that it's ok to cheer for the losing team sometimes. But I've also learned that life is too short and too precious to worry about the small things (this one is a work in progress..) I've learned that the way you see the world depends on where you stand. I've learned that empathy is admirable not weak. I've learned that you should never take love, happiness or life for granted.
One of the cool things I've learned in my job is that dealing with people is as varied as the many paparazzi poses Paris Hilton has in her arsenal (that's a lot)! Some students love to talk to me on the phone...some don't (I know, it's hard to believe!). Some are looking for fun, excitement and activities in college, others are looking for study-tables, mentors and chemistry labs. Some love Facebook, others love textbooks! It's exciting and challenging and it's one of the things that make me love my job and working with high school students looking at Simpson!

PS- check out our new web project- it's awesome, where else can you hear the rumble of a motorcycle engine and learn more about forensic science?