Settle Down, It'll All Be Clear
As any roommate that I had in college can tell you, I hated writing papers. As a history major, I wrote a lot of papers. Like, a ten page paper for ever upper level history class I took, plus the papers for my humanities classes, plus the normal 3-5 page papers dues periodically throughout the semester. OH, not to mention the 15-20 page papers I had to write for my senior seminar's.... Oh wow. There was a lot of paper writing. I basically got my degree in writing. It's true.
For every paper I wrote I would listen to a song over and over and over again- I called it the theme song for my paper. It was a different song for each; I could always focus better with one song, and not dozens of songs; they would distract me too much. I would work for days on any of the papers I wrote, and just want it to be the end. I knew what the end would be- a great 10 page paper with a thesis, conclusion, research, footnotes, endnotes, bibliography, quotations... it would be great! It would be so satisfying in the end when I turned it in and could see the end results. Those were the best moments. I love reading my writing. I could read all my papers over and over again... except the one on Al Capone; that was my first big research paper in college... I re-read it my last semester because I was writing a paper on Prohibition, and thought I could use some of the quotes from my Al Capone paper in that one... needless to say, I was glad I could see a drastic improvement by the time I graduated. If you want to read any of my research papers, I would recommend my analysis of the creative process of Mark Twain. I love him. I might have a super big crush on him... If I could have dinner with anyone from history- besides religious people- it would be Mark Twain. I just love his writing. I love writers. I love books! ...... Ok.... sorry, didn't mean to start confessing my love for everything.
Why am I relating my wonderful experience of writing papers when I am no longer in college? Well, let me tell you. I currently work in the Registrar's Office at the University of Utah, in the Scheduling Department, and we are currently working on the Summer 2013 Proofs. What are Proofs? They are the official class schedule for the U. We send them out to all the departments on campus, and they return them back to us. Yesterday, the Summer Proofs were due, and we are currently entering all the changes for the coming summer semester into our database. Wow... it is crazy. I spent all day yesterday working on TWO Proofs... they were really hard. Like, changes everywhere. And then you have to add classes.. and check the non-credit side... and add in the dates they meet... and the teacher... and combine classes... and have someone double check all your work... it is exhausting. I cannot believe how much data entry we are working on right now. PLUS we have changes for Fall 2012, AND Spring 2013.... Oh gosh. It is overwhelming. A little bit. I have been so exhausted all week because of all the Proofs we've had coming in.
As I was working on the Proofs this week, I realized that I fit in really well at this job. I turned on one song, and spent everyday trudging through the Proofs, knowing that the end was in sight- each individual proof is a hard copy in your hands- and yet could not help but complain about the little details I had to remember to make sure I got everything done. It finally dawned on me yesterday that I had gone back to my ways of writing papers. Who knew I really would use all of the skills I learned in college again? It was the best feeling in the world, because working at the museum had basically killed my brain cells, it was so dumb. I thought I had wasted all that time and money in college to have a pathetic job that was doing nothing with my degree, and then I got this job, and I have never loved a job more. It is so great! I just love the feeling of accomplishment! I love getting to see the end product, and knowing that students and teachers are happy with the schedule, and are able to register. It's great. I love having a job that makes a difference, is respected, and that is making me think again! I just love it. And I love my coworkers; they are sooo great! I learn something from them everyday.
For every paper I wrote I would listen to a song over and over and over again- I called it the theme song for my paper. It was a different song for each; I could always focus better with one song, and not dozens of songs; they would distract me too much. I would work for days on any of the papers I wrote, and just want it to be the end. I knew what the end would be- a great 10 page paper with a thesis, conclusion, research, footnotes, endnotes, bibliography, quotations... it would be great! It would be so satisfying in the end when I turned it in and could see the end results. Those were the best moments. I love reading my writing. I could read all my papers over and over again... except the one on Al Capone; that was my first big research paper in college... I re-read it my last semester because I was writing a paper on Prohibition, and thought I could use some of the quotes from my Al Capone paper in that one... needless to say, I was glad I could see a drastic improvement by the time I graduated. If you want to read any of my research papers, I would recommend my analysis of the creative process of Mark Twain. I love him. I might have a super big crush on him... If I could have dinner with anyone from history- besides religious people- it would be Mark Twain. I just love his writing. I love writers. I love books! ...... Ok.... sorry, didn't mean to start confessing my love for everything.
Why am I relating my wonderful experience of writing papers when I am no longer in college? Well, let me tell you. I currently work in the Registrar's Office at the University of Utah, in the Scheduling Department, and we are currently working on the Summer 2013 Proofs. What are Proofs? They are the official class schedule for the U. We send them out to all the departments on campus, and they return them back to us. Yesterday, the Summer Proofs were due, and we are currently entering all the changes for the coming summer semester into our database. Wow... it is crazy. I spent all day yesterday working on TWO Proofs... they were really hard. Like, changes everywhere. And then you have to add classes.. and check the non-credit side... and add in the dates they meet... and the teacher... and combine classes... and have someone double check all your work... it is exhausting. I cannot believe how much data entry we are working on right now. PLUS we have changes for Fall 2012, AND Spring 2013.... Oh gosh. It is overwhelming. A little bit. I have been so exhausted all week because of all the Proofs we've had coming in.
As I was working on the Proofs this week, I realized that I fit in really well at this job. I turned on one song, and spent everyday trudging through the Proofs, knowing that the end was in sight- each individual proof is a hard copy in your hands- and yet could not help but complain about the little details I had to remember to make sure I got everything done. It finally dawned on me yesterday that I had gone back to my ways of writing papers. Who knew I really would use all of the skills I learned in college again? It was the best feeling in the world, because working at the museum had basically killed my brain cells, it was so dumb. I thought I had wasted all that time and money in college to have a pathetic job that was doing nothing with my degree, and then I got this job, and I have never loved a job more. It is so great! I just love the feeling of accomplishment! I love getting to see the end product, and knowing that students and teachers are happy with the schedule, and are able to register. It's great. I love having a job that makes a difference, is respected, and that is making me think again! I just love it. And I love my coworkers; they are sooo great! I learn something from them everyday.
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