Dean Dad and Adjunct Kait write about Freshman orientation and registration. And PPB writes about the students moving in. I got to participate in the Information Fair yesterday where they paraded groups of freshman into the computing building and we talked to them about various things they could do here. We showed them the help desk; telphone services had a station set up; and my job was to show them the New Media Lab. Now I’m proud of my lab, especially this year since I got all new equipment, but most of the students have no desire to see it right now. What they wanted to know was whether they could print for free, how to get their email password, or registration password, and what kind of software was on the computers and where could they buy software for their own computers. To make it more fun, we podcast the event (still need to do some editing), but still, the last hour dragged. I ended up getting dragged away to do (gasp) actual work, so my students took turns giving the NML spiel. Frankly, they were better at it than I was.

At the end of the Information Fair, our department was having a cookout and introducing themeselves to the 20 or so students who would be working the help desk this year. I missed the introductions because, well, it’s the Friday before classes start and people need stuff. Those who didn’t help with the IF somehow managed to be present for introductions. So for about fifteen minutes, I was seething about the fact that people were standing around drinking beer while I was running around working and my students were having to continue doing the spiel. And every time I walked by the group of people drinking beer, I got dirty looks from some people. To them I say, bleh.

But then I got over it, and drank beer with my colleagues. My kids came over and ate with me and then, we went home and read Harry Potter. Monday is when true chaos begins.