Today was the first family session I worked. My parents always said that one of my flaws is that I enjoy interacting with people older than me more than people my age. Well, they were right.

At dinner, I sat with four mothers with daughters in the Nursing program. Let me just tell you, they were a hoot and a holler. I loved them! One mother was from Rochester, and it's wonderful to be able to relate things to Rochester. Speaking of that, I met another family from Rochester. The parents grew up in the same area as my own, which was interesting. It was hystarical when the father asked, "So what is the Wegmans like here?" and I said, "You know Eastway Wegmans on the border of Penfield and Webster? It's just like that," and they knew EXACTLY what I meant! The other families were great too. It seems like I have become the unofficial "out of state" OA for some of these families, because for some reason, I know random places in Jersey, Penn, and Mass (thanks to my time at Ithaca!). There are so many orientees from Mass., it seems like we're averaging about two per session. That is remarkable for a SUNY all the way down here. Penn is more common, because we're one misplaced step from there, and Jersey is mildly common. We also had a TN and a Hawaii today (yes, you read that correctly...). I love that--that was the thing I missed the most here as opposed to Ithaca, meeting people from different states, seeing the various state license plates in the parking lot. Now that's coming here, and it's great.

As I was telling some of the OAs this morning, I don't think I mind parents as much because I'm the most overprotective big sister you'll ever meet. I can relate when the parents want to grab the schedule and "help" their student, because I sometimes do the same with Megan and Sam. I need to know what they are doing in school, how it is being taught, how they are doing their homework, who they are spending time with...all of that way too motherly stuff that I shouldn't do at this age and place in my life, but do and have done always. I also spoil them rotten like a grandmother. So when I see that parent steal an extra schedule even though they really are not susposed to, I tell them why they can't have them, but I also understand. Because 1) in most situations (except for mine and some others, but most), they are paying the bills and 2) you know your child better than any advisor does. You only want the best for your child because they are your child. And while that's a difficult concept for some people to understand, you have to understand that when you're passionate about something, you may get to a point where you act in a way others percieve to be rude and annoying, but to you, it's not. Parents (for the most part) are passionate about their children. It's a given. Twenty-five years down the road, we'll be the same way in a way. (Well, give me two years--when Megan goes off to school, watch me be all annoying. I'll work on that.) I'm not saying parents should get off scot free for being annoying--when you're out of line, you're out of line--but understand that these are not random acts of rudeness and annoyingness. They have a reason and an attempted outcome.

It's off to bed--I have to give a Campus Tour tomorrow morning, and then I have to check out all of the students who stayed in Digman tonight. GO DIGMAN (my honorary hall)! It's back to students on Thursday morning. That I knew the day there was remarkable because, as LynDonna put it the other day, "I don't think of days of the week anymore, I think of Day Ones and Day Twos."

Music: Uh, none. Unless the ending of the All-Star Game is considered music. Well, the Fox Sports music they play at commerical breaks. That counts.