Gobble Gobble

Yep, that's me!

One of my favorite parts of working in student affairs is the opportunity to support student events. Sometimes that means sitting in the audience at the Greek Week talent show, while students sing, dance, and make people laugh. Other times it means going out to eat at a restaurant where a chapter might get a portion of the proceeds from my dinner. You know I love food, so I am in.

Yesterday was a first. I was invited via tweet to wear the turkey costume at Tau Kappa Epsilon's Gobble For Groceries, a food drive that they do each November to benefit the Hunger Task Force. The chapter president said he'd donate ten pounds of food if I would come put the costume on. I try to always be a good sport, so I agreed. It might have been hard to walk and breathe, but it was worth the laughs I got from the students, the honks and waves from those driving past, and most importantly, the awareness for their cause. And my ten minutes in the thing was nothing compared to the hours that members are putting in wearing the costume this week to try to raise more donations. I am excited to hear how many pounds of food that they will raise this year.

If you happen to drive down Oakland in Milwaukee, consider stopping at their house and sharing some canned goods. #proudadvisormoment

Stop. Breathe. Bounce.

Welp, it has been a stressful few weeks. And I am thankful that things are going to return to a busy, but normal pace. Which hopefully means getting back to more blogging. I apologize, I just haven't had the time or the energy to post my various life adventures. So here is a short one...

Last Friday, we hosted the biggest event, Pantherfest. And I had the opportunity to lead up the team that planned the pre-show. Consider it the carnival before the concert. We planned for weeks. Our event ran from 3-6 pm. It began downpouring promptly around 2:45 pm. From there, stuff started to fall apart a bit as the wind picked up and it rained harder.

Despite the heavy, cold rain, students came. And they ate. As long as you offer free food, rain won't stop everyone, especially when the line for the buses is adjacent to your event. Lesson learned.

I wish I could say I was totally calm and collected throughout the event, but I was honestly a ball of stress. Not at my best. Until I took a minute to stop, breathe, and just enjoy the event. Specifically, by bouncing...

Right before they began to tear down, I decided to go for it and jumped on the Euro Bungee. There are videos floating around of me totally getting scared on the thing and yelling, "I don't want to flip!" Awesomely embarrassing. But super fun. And a much needed release. Because when you are wearing a harness strapped to bungee cords, you just jump.

Like my new rain boots?

56 Things

My coworker, Claudia, and I on the Fall Welcome Boat Tour. No. 1 and No. 55!

This month, my office introduced one of our exciting new initiatives, The UWM Bucket List. One of the major goals of our office is to develop the culture of student involvement on campus, and to help connect students to awesome things on campus and in the community. We know that not every student is going to want to be those rockstar orientation leaders, RAs, and student organization leaders, but we hope that they will carve out their own little niche on campus to call their own. So we figured this would be an accessible way to give students a taste of campus, through a fun sort of challenge.

 After seeing other campuses successfully implement similar programs (a huge shout out to Emily, who introduced me to University of South Florida's list), we thought it was worth giving it a shot. (One of the first things you learn working in education -  borrowing successful ideas!) So we polled students, faculty and staff, and finally settled on those key experiences and traditions. Some of them are things I never would have thought of, like "15. Close your eyes in the Fireside Lounge, known as UWM's quietest nap spot." Others are things that were already on my To Do list, like "See the city of Milwaukee by boat" (which I happened to check off last week as part of Fall Welcome, woo hoo).

We have gotten a lot of buzz with the students already, perhaps for the free t-shirt that they get if they complete the list. More than anything, we want them to get out there and have fun.

And because I am a list-lover myself, I am also trying to check off some of the traditions too. I have highlighted the ones I already have done. I may not be graduating, so my goal is to complete the 56 during my time at UWM. By far my favorite project yet.

Without further ado, here is the list, which can be found at bucketlist.uwm.edu:

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Bucket List – 56 Things To Do Before You Graduate

Your UWM experience should be an adventure. Get out and explore all that UWM and Milwaukee has to offer, from campus life to local favorites. Finish the list? Receive a free T-shirt. What will you check off first?

1. Attend a Fall Welcome event to kick off the academic year.
2. Stargaze at the UWM Manfred Olson Planetarium.
3. Volunteer at RAK-A-Thon, MLK Jr. Day of Service, or the Hunger Clean Up.
4. Get your photo taken with Pounce.
5. Join one of UWM's 300+ student organizations. (I'll modify this one to "advise" - check)
6. Attend the Distinguished Lecture Series.
7. Visit the Milwaukee County Zoo and its 2,500 animals.
8. Soak up the sun on Spaights Plaza.
9. Vote for your student leaders in the Student Association election. (I can't do this one myself. Thankfully we built in a few freebies).
10. Check out the Milwaukee Art Museum, it's free the first Thursday of the month.
11. Take a trip with Outdoor Pursuits.
12. Eat at Oakland Gyros, an East Side landmark.
13. Participate in or volunteer at the Panther Prowl, UWM's annual 5K run/walk.
14. Enjoy the lake view at Alterra at the Lake.
15. Close your eyes in the Fireside Lounge, known as UWM's quietest nap spot.
16. Attend PANTHERFEST.
17. Enroll in a fitness class, or use the facilities at the Klotsche Center.
18. Witness the cross-town rivalry at a UWM vs. Marquette soccer or basketball game.
19. Attend the annual UWM Drag Show.
20. Eat at the Kenwood Inn, located on the third floor of the Student Union.
21. Grab a slice at Ian's Pizza on North Avenue.
22. Play a game of volleyball or catch some rays at Bradford Beach, Milwaukee's largest public beach.
23. Cheer on the Milwaukee Panthers men's basketball team at the Klotsche Center.
24. Attend a competition for one of the 14 other Panther varsity athletic teams.
25. Eat some popcorn and catch a movie at the Union Theatre.
26. Attend one of the 300+ performances at the Peck School of the Arts.
27. Wear UWM apparel to class and show your Panther Pride.
28. Attend one of Milwaukee's many festivals.
29. Check out the student artwork at the Union Art Gallery's Annual Juried Exhibition.
30. Challenge friends to bowling, billiards, or ping pong at the Union Rec Center.
31. Attend Jazz in the Park, Milwaukee's favorite free outdoor, summer music series.
32. Eat lunch by the fountain outside of Curtin Hall.
33. Root for the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.
34. Take a ride with Be On the Safe Side (BOSS).
35. Enjoy a meal and check out Team Night Trivia or a performer in the Gasthaus.
36. Reach out and make new friends you did not know in high school. - I meet new people every day! One of the best parts of my job!
37. Visit the Milwaukee Public Market in the Historic Third Ward.
38. Finish the crossword puzzle in one of the weekly editions of the UWM Post.
39. Find your favorite Milwaukee Friday Fish Fry. (Most offer non-fish options too!)
40. Meet the Chancellor.
41. Try some of Milwaukee's famous frozen custard.
42. Walk through Downer Woods, UWM's 11.1 acre preserved nature area.
43. Attend a UWM graduation ceremony (other than your own).
44. Visit the Career Development Center or attend one of the many career fairs.
45. Attend a Bike-Powered Concert.
46. Donate blood or volunteer at a Campus Blood Drive.
47. Make something in the Studio Arts and Crafts Centre.
48. See an outdoor movie under the stars. (We recommend Fish Fry and a Flick)
49. Head down to the Milwaukee River Walk and take a photo with the Bronze Fonz.
50. Run, walk, or bike the Oak Leaf or Hank Aaron State Trails.
51. Get a cup of coffee or tea at the student-run 8th Note Coffeehouse.
52. Take a class that interests you and has nothing to do with your major.
53. Find the perfect study spot at the Golda Meir Library.
54. Make snow angels on campus.
55. See the city of Milwaukee by boat.
56. Find the North Point Light Station in Lake Park.

**Choose Your Own Adventure Option – Don't feel like doing something on the list? You may opt to substitute up to three UWM bucket list items with a UWM campus or Milwaukee challenge of your choice. (As long as it is legal/ethical, of course).**
Complete all 56 items on this list, and bring your pictures, ticket stubs, etc. to the Center for Student Involvement (Union 363) for an "I Completed the UWM Bucket List" T-shirt!

Bucket List Bonus!

*Take the Bucket List Abroad! Send us your picture with Pounce at a must-visit place at your study abroad locale and we will post it on our web site!
*Graduate! – Show us your completed Bucket List and your graduation announcement and we will give you a sticker to wear on your cap at commencement.

Why 56 Things?

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee was created in 1956. The UWM Bucket List was developed in 2012, 56 years from UWM's founding date. 56 things seems appropriate, don't you think?

A Travel Adventure

My morning post was about an awesome adventure running through the city. My afternoon post is about a less awesome adventure standing on the side of the road for a few hours. Who's excited?!

One of the more fun components of my job is providing the opportunity for a group of student leaders to attend a national session of The LeaderShape Institute, a really amazing program that inspires them to come back and change their world. No big thing.

We were sending four students to the program this year, and I agreed to drive them down to Urbana-Champaign for the program. Sunday was a dedicated day of driving there and back. I was pleasantly surprised when I pulled up to the Union, and all of the students were already ready to go. I was thinking I'd have to call and wake someone up, but not with these fantastic leaders. Totally made my morning, especially after there was some major coffee spillage at the gas station.

We hit the road and were making great time, with very little traffic in Chicago. I was actually a little concerned that we were going to get to the site too early and have to kill some time. Do not ever think that on a road trip. Not even in your head...

We were in the middle of Chicago when the emergency light went on and said "Tires Low." I had Alyssa, my navigator, pull out the van's manual. It said we should stop relatively soon and check the air and make sure to fill it up so that the tires didn't overheat. It didn't sound flat, so we agreed to get through Chicago and stop at a gas station to check.

We were 20-30 minutes South of the city when we heard the pop and immediately had to pull over.

Womp womp.

While I called the roadside assistance number through the rental company, a few of the students attempted to get the spare out from underneath the van. This is the point of the trip where I became the nervous parent, totally concerned for their safety. As we stood on the side of the road, there was a ton of traffic, and apparently in Illinois, people do not feel the need to move over to the left lane when there is a car on the side of the road. I am pretty sure that I gave a very panicked yelp, "You guys, stay on this side of the car!" Maybe 2-3 times. They totally wanted to solve the problem themselves, and I crushed their dreams in the name of safety. That's me.

While waiting for what felt like hours, a state trooper did eventually stop by. He was very nice and gave us some flares. He also reiterated my "don't go on the driver's side of the car" command, which made me feel slightly less neurotic. Is it just me, or is the side of the highway a totally scary place to be? I think so. Especially when you are there for a few hours.  

Definitely got some color while standing on the side of the road.

Then, two guys pulled up, and asked if we had a flat. They just so happened to fix flats as their business, and had all of the tools in their truck right there. Not only could they put the spare on, if that is what we wanted, but they then offered to actually patch the tire and put that right back on. Despite my protests of "but it's a rental car so I can't pay you and don't know that I have the authority to okay you patching the tire," and "we actually have someone coming," they didn't really listen and just did the work. I was also in the midst of trying to get ahold of all the people I needed to inform of our adventures, and that was one of those professional moments where I just sort of let it happen, because I just wanted to get back on the road. I had two and a half more hours on this leg, and then four and a half back home after that and we certainly were not going to drive that on the donut. Was it the right thing to do? I don't really know. But that is what happened. So thanks to those kind men, for doing that work for free. I kind of expect they were hoping to get paid, but they still did the work anyway even after I made clear I couldn't pay them. It did make it awkward and even more hectic though when the roadside assistance man arrived as they were putting the tire back on. But it worked itself out. 

We did end up driving to the next exit and stopping at a tire shop to make sure we were okay to drive the next two hours. Once we got the okay, and had refueled at Culver's, we were back on the road. Just a few short hours later, the students were dropped off at the retreat center, and I was waving the awkward "I'm not really your mom, but it sorta feels like it right now" summer camp send off. They seemed excited and I am sure they are already in the midst of an amazing week. 

My coworker helped me make arrangements to trade out the car for another once I got to Champaign. She agreed that she didn't feel safe with me driving back by myself on a tire that was patched on the side of the road earlier that day. I am fairly certain the people at the Enterprise counter at the airport thought I was crazy when I told them that the flat tire that they'd heard about was already patched. But, she swapped cars with me anyway, and I headed back to Milwaukee in a Nissan Sentra. Fine by me - I'm a small-car kinda girl. 

The trip back through Chicago had a little more traffic, which gave me some time sitting on the highway to snap a picture or two of the cloudy skyline.

Chicago traffic on a Sunday night. Not excited.

Not long after that, I was back home. At that point, pretty much the best feeling ever. 

Today was a little hectic at Enterprise, as we had to try to track down where exactly I had dropped off their van. But the staff were understanding about the whole thing. 

I am very glad someone else is picking them up on Friday, although a little sad that I won't be in the car to hear all about their awesome experiences. 

Let's postpone my next carpool route until next year though. 

Hail to the Chief

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to attend the Inauguration of UWM's eighth Chancellor, Michael R. Lovell.

As I mentioned earlier, there was a week of Inauguration events leading up to the event. While at the Lovell*Palooza Meet and Greet, I was asked by a student, "What is a Chancellor?" Huh. Never had to explain that one before. I stumbled over..."Well, he's the CEO of the university....sort of like the president..." Can you think of a better explanation?

The inauguration was really cool. When you think about the length of time that many university and college presidents and chancellors hold their positions, it really is a unique opportunity to see an inauguration. I don't watch American Idol, but apparently one of the top ten contestants last season, Naima Adedapo, was a UWM student. She sang the National Anthem at the event. Check out the video from UWM news - her voice is just beautiful!



There were a lot of speeches. We're talking longer than your typical graduation. But each guest had wonderful things to say about the Chancellor. His own speech was also very touching.


One of the coolest parts was a video that showed how faculty and students came together to create the Chancellor's medallion. It is tradition that each chancellor or president wears one at formal university occasions (convocation, graduation, etc.). The one created for Chancellor Lovell is anything but traditional...



(Video courtesy of UWM News)

Really cool, right?! I love how it represents both his Engineering background and the city of Milwaukee. Very modern and appropriate for the times. It is an exciting time to be at the university!

Best wishes to Chancellor Lovell in his new role!

Party Rockers in the House Tonight (aka #21 Be in a Flash Mob)

Check #21 off the list!

That's right. This girl was in a flash mob. I can't promise that my dancing was very good, but it was a ton of fun and I was very excited to be able to offer the opportunity for our students who were interested (and much better dancers).

I thought this one would be one of the hardest to pull off, but then an opportunity just sort of presented itself...

So here are the details. Earlier this semester, I was invited to sit on a committee that would be planning events for the Chancellor's inauguration that would specifically get students involved. Everyone came up with fantastic ideas, including a meet and greet, a fun photo contest, an "Are You Smarter than the Chancellor" game show, a service day, and a interactive lab (because he is a former faculty member). Oh yeah, and a flash mob.

One of my colleagues and I volunteered to take on the flash mob, thinking it would be the easiest of the events to plan, especially since we were both new. New, and maybe also a little naive. Just recruit some students, find a choreographer, arrange a practice or two, and we'd be good to go. Except that apparently it is challenging to recruit students to perform in the middle of the school day. And to get all of those details to come together.

But we persevered and pulled it off with a group that was small but mighty. We couldn't have done it without the help of the Panther Dance Team, who did all of the choreography and instruction. And everyone seemed to have a lot of fun. Yeah!

Something Is Brewing....

For a taste of what I was googling for work today, click here.

Yep, I have a fun job. And it may help me check off #21.

An Honor.

I started writing this post a few weeks ago (on August 13 to be exact) and just couldn't bring myself to finish it. Until now. Here goes...

On Friday, August 12, after an emotional last day, I came across this post. Written by one  of the students from Panhellenic - a touching tribute. To me.

Being an educator can be challenging, frustrating, even heartbreaking at times. I have spent the last four years working with some really fantastic students. But I also had those moments where I wondered what the heck I had gotten myself into.

And yet, these really special moments come that fill my heart with more joy than I could ever imagine possible. Those moments where the connection happens. The part in all the struggle, where the students learn, and when we learn too. And as I walk away and on to my next adventure, I can't help but reflect on all that I have learned over the last four years. I continue to do what I do because of these students. And together we have created some amazing memories. Here are just a few of my favorites.

My Love/Hate relationships with sorority recruitment. I can't speak for all fraternity/sorority advisors, but for me, recruitment has its highs and lows. It is an exciting time of welcoming new members into our community. But it's also a high stress and emotion/low sleep whirlwind two weeks. And sometimes my crabby pants come out. Because I don't do what I do for arguments about balloons, or hours listening to cheer practice. I do it because I believe in fraternity/sorority and sharing the experience with as many as we can. However, there are those moments that make those weeks memorable. Silly conversations about "that sisterhood pants movie." Serious conversations about the stereotypes in our community. Surviving an H1N1 recruitment with serious amounts of hand sanitizer. And lots of gummi bears. And of course, bid day - when we get to see the women go home to their new sisters. The day that it is really all about.

My Love/Hate relationship with conduct. For most advisors, we don't get into our jobs because we love conduct and can't wait to run a hearing. As self-governing organizations, I believe that standards and accountability are one of the most important aspects of our community. But my heart sinks a little each time that I have to put aside the other projects I am working on to respond to an incident and prepare to oversee a conduct process. I cannot think of another part of my job that is quite as emotionally draining. It is hard to see a chapter struggling. It is even more challenging when mistakes are repeated, and no learning has happened from the previous time. At the same time, I know how much that I learned from my own experiences with the conduct process as a student, especially during those times that I failed in my own leadership. And I have appreciated those moments when I can be there with the students through the icky, hard, dark times until they push through to the other side to become a stronger chapter.

Serving in Jonesville. When I think of love, joy, and community, I will forever think of Jonesville, Virginia. And the amazing group of students with whom I traveled for a week of service with the Appalachia Service Project. Plus my partners in crime, Vinny and Steve. When we were approached by students interested in creating a Greek Mission Trip in late spring 2009, I don't think I had any idea what it would become. Steve might have, because he was good at dreaming big. But I didn't. What we were able to create with the students, was one of the most genuine/real experiences I have ever participated in with service that really captured what a fraternity and sorority community can be. If we could recreate that same experience every day on the college campus, I don't think we'd have nearly as many issues with alcohol, hazing, and the other diseases that plague our community. Those were the best two spring breaks that I have ever had.


Supporting the students as they create successful programs. One of my proudest moments as an advisor was sitting in the room for the sorority community's first Panhellenic Grand Chapter, a program created by the council and a chapter president to bring sorority women together around issues important to them. It was a conversation that was challenging, and meant to push people to think and to act. Hopefully the starting point for a conversation that will continue.


This is my job?! I love those moments when I have to stop, smile, and say to myself, "I get paid to to this." It happens when I'm sitting at a free concert as "staff presence" of a band that I love. Or when I get stopped at Sam's and asked if I run a daycare because my cart is full of bulk quantities of mints, capri suns, gummi bears, etc. Sometimes I feel like I am herding cats. Most of the time, it is just plain awesome.

I am so proud of the men and women that I have worked with at Saint Louis University, and wish them all the best. I hope that I am leaving things a little bit better than when I started. I can't wait to see what they all do.

It has truly been an honor.

Put a fork in it. I'm done.

Yesterday was my last day at SLU. At the end of the day, I left my office looking like this:

Perhaps the cleanest that it's ever been.

It is hard to describe how I am feeling now. I spent the last few weeks under a cloud of stress, trying to make sure that not only did I leave good transition notes, but that I also planned ahead as far as I could. I would hate to leave the next person a mess.

And yesterday, well, it was hard. Final wrap up tasks, plus saying goodbye to colleagues and friends. Because I'm not just headed down the block. I am headed north...six hours away. While I know I will be back in just a few months for some class commitments, I am still leaving. There were promises of lunches and dinners next week before I leave. And there were tears. Lots of tears. Because leaving is sad.

I woke up this morning with a migraine. I attribute it to my stress finally breaking. That seems to be a regular pattern for me. My body decided that it needed a break before proceeding with more packing and moving tasks. I took the hint and was a lazy bum all day.

I will get back to the packing tomorrow. And cleaning. I may even spare a few hours for the pool. Because I don't really think it is going to hit me that I'm done until Monday morning. When I am still off. At least for the week. I suppose I should try to enjoy some of it before I head off to the next job.

Big News

So it's official. I will be leaving the STL very soon. I have accepted a new job, which will take me back home to Milwaukee.

It is definitely bittersweet. I have loved living in St. Louis for the past four years. I had never been here prior to moving. It is a really great city! I am going to miss a lot...

Going to Pappy's for some delicious BBQ. Mmmm...Ribs.

Summer musicals at the Muny in Forest Park. I've seen some really great shows over the years - Hairspray, the Sound of Music, and most recently, Legally Blonde.

One of my favorite St. Louis adventures is always the zoo. You can't beat free animals!

Although my allegiance will always be to Miller, I will miss the AB Brewery tour. 

And of course, the St. Louis Arch. Each time I drive past it on my way back into the city, it just feels good. 

St. Louis has been a great home. It is going to be very hard to say goodbye to the friends that I have met along the way, and the fantastic students with whom I have had the opportunity to work.

On to the next step.  

Saving Lids to Save Lives

It's officially October!

Which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. While I am incredibly fortunate that my family has not been touched directly by breast cancer, I try to support those who have been impacted. And, since Zeta Tau Alpha is a sorority with whom I work, I try to also support my students in their philanthropic efforts. They engage in a number of different efforts to raise awareness and money Susan G. Komen each year.

One way in which I try to help is by eating yogurt as part of the Save Lids to Save Lives campaign through Yoplait. I stocked up with a variety of flavors to support the cause. I am eating a Red Velvet Cake yogurt as we speak. I wasn't sure how I really felt about the whole "dessert yogurt" thing that they've been pushing, but since I LOVE red velvet cake, I thought it was worth giving it a shot. It's decent, although nothing to write home about. On to more yogurt flavors. Anything to support a good cause!

I'm Back...

Well, I have finally recovered from the madness that is Sorority Formal Recruitment. When people hear that I advise fraternities and sororities, they say "Oh, that sounds fun!" And I usually respond with, "Yes, it is...most of the time." I know that they don't really care to hear all of the complexities of my job - that it sometimes involves a lot of conversations about students' bad decisions, or that it involves a lot of night/weekend hours on top of the regular business ones. Because there are so many things that are truly fun about my job. It's different every day. And there are a lot of moments where I think to myself, "Wow, I get paid for doing this."

Like when I have to make a trip to Sam's Club to buy recruitment supplies - including over 300 Capri Suns and over 3,000 mints.

It's even more fun when I get to have the following conversation:

Man: That's a lot of mints.
Me: Yes, yes it is. Over 3,000.
Man: Do you run a day care?
Me: (pause) No, sorority recruitment. 


I'll be honest, sometimes it does feel like a day care. Or as my friend Ann would say "A day care, night care, and life care." We really are involved in so many aspects of the students' lives.

And although I'm not in the job for any recognition or rewards, it is really nice when the students recognize that I do care about them and that I choose to give them my time and energy because I really care about what they are doing. After one of the craziest weeks of recruitment yet, I was truly touched to receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers from one of the sororities.

It may not be a high-paying job, and it may bring a lot of stress, but at the end of the day, I really enjoy what I do. Where else would I get to buy nine pounds of gummi bears?

The End is Near

Summer is officially over.  When August 1 hits, there is a total shift in mindset, as we scramble to get everything done before the students return. They'll be back Wednesday. Yikes. This is my last weekend without any work commitments for a really long time.

So what to do with my last free weekend?

Well, there is the part of me that wants to do nothing - to lay by the pool one last time while finishing the last of my library books. To go see Eat Pray Love before I don't have time for fun things. To just sleep.

And then there is the part of me that freaks out about all of the errands and other things that I won't have time to do. That I should be scrambling to get the laundry done, so that I have at least a month's worth of clothes. And vacuuming and cleaning every inch of the apartment that I basically won't live in other than to sleep for a few short hours here and there. To get things to where it looks like I have it all together before the storm hits.

Or should I be doing work? Getting ahead on work projects so that I'm less crazed next week. I do always bring the bag of it home, although it doesn't often get touched.

Perhaps I should be doing a little of everything.

Office Project Update

Today starts week three of the office cleaning project. As of right now, I've eliminated two boxes and one filing cabinet worth of papers. I didn't get a whole lot done last week, as compared to the week before. I'll be honest - right now it looks even worse than it did when I started. I need to commit some time this week and next. My plan is to stay late a few nights to make some solid progress.

Wish me luck!

The Competition Begins

My coworker and I have a competition during the month of may to determine who can get their office the cleanest and most organized. This is much needed, as my office has become quite the disaster zone. I have files that need to be purged, items that need to be stored in the students' space (not mine), and in general, a lot of clutter that just has to go. It's embarassing.

When I walked into my office today, I was overwhelmed at the amount of stuff that I am going to need to go through. It seems like an impossible task. However, my goal is to break it down into more manageable projects. Here's what I'm thinking:

Week One: Desk

• Clear off top of desk.
• Purge filing drawers (3) and reprioritize which files are in them.
• Develop new filing system for short-term and long-term filing.
• Reorganize top cabinets.
• Take home mugs, other personal items.

Week Two: Floor/Table

• Transfer stored items for students to their office space across campus.
• Take home personal items.
• Unpack boxes leftover from move (some of which are strategically hidden).

Week Three: Bookshelf and Filing Cabinet

• Purge items that are old and no longer used (most of them)
• Implement new filing system for cabinet.
• Better utilize space.

Week Four: Final Cleaning/Organizing/Decorating

I may need to haul in a giant dumpster with the amount of stuff that I hope to get rid of. I'll be sure to take some before and after shots too.

Here's to a less cluttered work life!

K

Office Organization Challenge

While I am working on my organization and clutter control at home, I also need to gear some of my efforts towards work as well. My office is in need of some serious time and attention.

In order to provide some extrinsic motivation, my coworker (who also has a cluttered office) and I have entered into a challenge. For the month of May (or at least the business days of May), he and I will compete to have the cleanest and most organized office by the end of the month.

We've determined the following rules:

1. Only $50 may be spent on additional organizational supplies.

2. We can consult with other staff members regarding organizational tips or ideas, however we must do all of the actual work ourselves.

3. We cannot intentionally make our office messier now so that it looks cleaner at the time of judging.

We still have to determine judges, but the loser will have to buy the winner lunch.

I'm excited to see the progress that we make!