"on the road again..."

well, sure enough my first flight of travel season couldn't go smoothly...that's too easy! thankfully, though, my day ended on a good note...

This morning my flight out of Omaha was delayed 45 minutes, so when I arrived in Minneapolis my connecting flight to Chicago was supposed to be leaving at the exact time I was exiting the jetbridge...ARGH! I swear the airlines purposely delay flights just to get eNtErTaInMeNt out of watching disgruntled, sweaty, sprinting passengers. :P

Of course we arrived at Gate C2 - I needed to be at Gate G10...well, just like the alphabet, "C" & "G" aren't neighbors. It doesn't help that there's like 30 gates per letter! I started to jog in about 10 second i n c r e m e n t s with my heavy laptop case in hand, but that didn't last too long...not only could I not breathe, but my stupid jeans kept creeping lower & lower! It's nice to know they're a little big on me now, but probably not something I want the world to see. When I finally made it to my gate, there was a large group of people standing...rOcK oN, my connecting flight had also been delayed! I made it! I threw myself to the floor by the wall to relax & massage my tight, crampy calves from my speedwalking venture. It was so important that I make this connection since my only college fair of the trip was tonight! Thankfully my luggage also made it to Chicago since all my brochures were in it.

By the way, it always cRaCkS me up when people are so anxious to get in the boarding line only to then have to stand in a long, slow-moving line in the jetway & then sit in very warm & cramped seats for a 1/2 hour before the plane even starts to taxi. I mean seriously people, it's not first come, first serve! I wait till the final boarding call before I get on & usually still have to wait in a line on the jetbridge.

This plane was pretty cool - it was brand new, complete with more comfortable leather seats even for us second-class passengers in the main cabin! I also didn't have anyone sitting next to me, so off my seatbelt went, up the armrest went & I cozied my legs up in the seats to take a short snoozzzzze...

Well, I safely made it to Chicago around 1:00ish, picked up my rental car...another one I've never driven - a Mitsubishi Lancer & headed out to find some good eats. I was STARVING & hadn't had anything all day! I looked at the phone book hoping to find a Noodles & Co. & was disappointed...no Noodles in Chicago?! So, I went to my usual Ruby Tuesday for some alfredo pasta & then headed to my hotel to catch up on work e-mails.

My college fair was only 10 miles from my hotel, which is great for Chicago during rush hour traffic! When I pulled up to the parking lot it was like dejavu...it seemed like I was just there yesterday! It was good to see the other college reps again & I had a good turnout from students who had received mailings from Simpson, but didn't know much about it. One very enthusiastic gal I probably talked to for about 20+ minutes...her parents were really anxious to move on, but she kept asking such good questions...gotta love it when the students are more into it than the parents! Her dad was hesitant about the fact that Simpson is a small school - I get that a lot, because parents weren't aware of so many options when they were growing up. All you hear in the media is about large Division I universities with successful athletic programs! Well, sUrPrIsE, those aren't the only opportunities available, nor does being a sports fan get you a career after college. ;P This father thought he could stump me when asked how Simpson compared to a certain prestigious university in Illinois, but it didn't work...I succeeded in providing them with numerous positive qualities of Simpson & kept his daughter's interest. :) It's like comparing apples to peas - Simpson & this university are completely different types of institutions, each with their own unique opportunities; liked or disliked by different students for different reasons.

I always stress to students & parents how important it is to actually visit campuses during the college search, so that they can see firsthand if the colleges are a good fit. A small college isn't for everyone, nor is a big university...but, you won't figure that out until you interact with students & faculty at each place & do your research. College is a huge investment & home for four years of your life...you want to feel comfortable with the people and your surroundings. Your goal should be to find a "home away from home" where you have both the academic and social opportunities you feel will help you learn the most effectively way possible! After all, the hard work you put into your college education is ultimately leading you to something you may be doing for the rest of your life. Simpson will guide you on the path to discovering your passion! ...even if you have no clue what you want to major in (like most students)!

Hesitant parents end up being very pleasantly surprised after actually visiting Simpson & other small colleges.

On a lighter note...I enjoyed the people-watching at the college fair as usual. The rEtRo t-shirts that are really "in" right now are always a riot to read and I often see mothers who look just as young as their daughters! I have even mistaken one for a student before when asking a mom (I thought was a just a "friend") what she wanted to major in - LOL, how embarrassing!

Also, there were a couple interesting table decorations on a college's table across the way...myself & some other reps didn't quite "get it." This college had a large stuffed Thanksgiving turkey & another stuffed animal (couldn't make out the kind of animal) with those funny fake glasses & nose over it's head?!?! I won't mention the school name, but I'm pretty sure their mascot isn't a turkey. Needless to say, they didn't have much "business" tonight.

All in all, it was a good fair with outstanding students! However, I did forget how very sore my feet get from standing on concrete gym floors for a few hours straight...it's been awhile! So, I'm gonna head down to the hot tub here in a sec to rest 'em up against the jets...AAAHHHH! I also completed my evening with good ole Portillo's greasy, salty french fries & a chocolate milkshake. ...even if you're not supposed to eat past 9:00pm. :P

This past Sunday I also had a college fair in Grand Island, NE that went a lot better than I expected, since it's the first time we've ever been there! I really think many of those students will apply & visit campus sometime. It really helps that really rural states like Nebraska don't have as many options for higher education, because students are more willing to consider out-of-state colleges. Also, a really funny, charismatic Simpson alum showed up to my table to say "hello!" He was there representing a Nebraska college since he is their Mathematics & Statistics Department Head. ...small world, huh?!

it's been a big day, so I'm outtie & moving onto dreamland...

peace.