What I won't (and will) miss about my time in Three Rivers, MI

Top 10 things I will (and won't) miss about this place:

Won't miss

The mold, or the smell of it

Cats having sex in my ceiling

Water coming through when it rains

The terrible phone reception

Being in a different time zone

(Almost) unlimited ice cream

Being 45 minutes to the nearest "real" city

(Re)doing the store inventory

Cardiac hill

The Tarzan rope

Will miss

The lack of potholes and fire, ambulance and police sirens

Working with different groups nearly every day

Free room and board with the (almost) unlimited ice cream

The people - both at Camp Eberhart and Norton Elementary School

Wearing shorts and a tshirt to work every day

Having almost 300 acres to play on and seeing deer daily

The best goodwill store EVER

Flexibility of what I teach, days off and the random projects

The camp Eberhart story

80s parties, trainings, collegiate presentations and TRIO

*I typed this the week before I left in May, but it never made it past notes.

Letters to Alayna

Since moving away I began writing letters to my youngest niece every month. Here is one letter I'm sending to my now 9-month old niece, Alayna:

"Dear Miss Alayna,

How have you been? Are you handling living in two homes okay? How are the teeth coming along? I hope you're doing well and staying strong for your parents.

One day, no, lots of days I hope you pursue things you like and that which is unknown. Explore, try, fall, get up and learn. Without this, how do you know what you like and don't like, what bugs you and causes you will stand for? Do what's right for you as it is your path you walk on. Go after what you believe in but challenge yourselv, your beliefs to view the other side(s). In doing so be open minded as your thoughts my change or modl, or maybe become stronger.

If one day you grow up and become girly, do it because you enjoy it, not because of others or the media. I will support you and will love you even if I may not understand the path you choose. Whatever it is you do, be happy. Know there will definitely be hard times but if it's worth it, and you will know when it is is, keep going.

As for me, I'm still trying to figure my path out. I'm not sure where I will go or if I'll ever stay still, or move back home. It's one of my greatest hopes that we will still find a way to be close, maybe pen pals. You may not know me yet, but I hope one day you will.

A day in the life of me:
             Date: April 08, 2013
      Location: Three Rivers, MI
          Job(s): Outdoor Education Instructor at YMCA Camp Eberhart
Current Song: A hiding place for the moon by Antoine Dafour
           Quote: "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." - ?


Love always,
   Auntie Jenn"

Kids cause (very) thick skin

I work with kids of all ages at camp and for the past few months I've also been working at a local elementary school as a recess monitor. I absolutely loving it at this school and the kids never sees to amaze me with their pure curiosity and lack of tact. They are the only beings that see and ask things as they are with no dancing around a subject nor regard on how things may sound.

Regards to my hair:
I have short hair, very, very short hair and boy have I become very confident in myself. Each afternoon, sometimes more, I'm asked the same question, "Are you a girl or a boy?"

Regards to my watch:
I go through watches at a ridiculous pace no matter what fancy brand I buy. After my last two watches killed over I decided to go to Meijer and purchase a cheap watch. The latest comment is, "Hey, that's the same watch (insert name) has!"

Regards to my size:
I'm not even sure why or how this came up but boy was this kid's substitute teacher furious he asked, "What size shoe do you wear?" I personally thought it was funny and wanted to hear why he wanted to know.

Have you had any hilarious, embarrassing or weird questions or comments from kids? Feel free to share your moments below.

I will live for today.

I will live for today.
I will live for.
I will live.
I will.
I.

My love, or lack there of, with job applications

I may be Miss peppy and positive but applications are ridiculous, no ifs ands or buts. Seriously, why in the world would I spend time on a resume highlighting my relevant work and experiences when I have to then spend two hours filling out an online application in addition to my resume and cover letter?

Things on applications I will never understand.

(I reluctantly understand the online application is a tool for HR to see things in a pretty format where they can easily search the document and verify a person’s background thereby eliminating a large pool of applicants from the interview phase.)

1. List your educational background, starting with high school. – You don’t actually care what I did before college, why start now? Not to mention that oh say, I have it typed in my resume, mentioned in my cover letter and per your request, I uploaded my transcript.
2. List your work experience in the last 10 years starting with the most recent. – This is a two-part annoyance. First, TEN YEARS?!?!?! Yes, spelling the 10 out for emphasis on this one people. (Sorry AP stylebook.) Unless I’m applying for a federal position with super secret clearance, I’m not sure why this is needed. Honestly, you’re going to do a background check anyways, why waste your time? Plus, as much as I’ve loved everywhere I’ve worked, I don’t keep up with each and every person to know their current title or even if they still work at the same place. I can list a few at the top of my head that don’t. Secondly, you ask for my job, title and a description of what I did. Um, hello?!?! I wrote that in my resume, thank you for looking.

Okay so maybe I don’t completely hate the online system. It’s nice to be able to go back and apply for more positions at a place that keeps your application on file. I may not enjoy the time it takes for even the lowest on the totem pole position but the questions the application asks are relevant. But please, narrow the selection down with your questionnaires and background info. To be honest, I’m interviewing you and the culture of the place just as much as you’re interviewing me for the position. If you still like me, yes, I would love to sit for additional hours filling all this out. God knows if I’m hired I’m going to be handwriting everything all over again in the new-hire paperwork.

Keep your algorithms and neatly typed documents but keep it like a (well written) survey: short, sweet and to the point in the most unbiased way possible.

Thank you,

A girl who hopes she didn’t just shoot herself in the foot with this post.