Purpose for Every Day

Wow!  What a busy start to the week.  Classes started yesterday and our phones are ringing off the wall.  So, if you have tried texting me and I have been slow to answer - sorry.  I do the best I can.  If you have noticed, I haven't been on Facebook as much as usual - it's because I am actually working at work. 

Yep, start of semester is always busy.  Seems like no one can remember their passwords to anything.  And they are not always happy when you tell them that it may take 24 hours for that password reset to take effect.  Sorry - that's just the way the system works.

Yes, nothing changes from semester to semester.  Students are still upset because they can't remember their ID numbers or their passwords or even the answers to their security questions.  Parents, or sometimes spouses, or upset because we are required to speak directly to the student not a proxy in order to offer assistance with the ID number or password.  I can't help but wonder how the parents expect these students to ever be able to get out on their own when they can't even log in and set up their own security questions.  You know there will be issues when upon hearing that you have to speak to the student and verify his answers the parent says, 'He's not going to know them.  I set up the questions.  Ask me, I can answer them.'   Well, that's not going to help the student very much right now.  Nor will it help that same student when they, hopefully, eventually are on their own. 

And the students who do set up their own questions.  They must be used to their mother helping them because they certainly don't make any attempt to try and remember anything.  Perfect example is the student who called three times in one day wanting her ID number.  Every time she had to go through the security questions to get it.  Seriously?   Why didn't you write it down?  You are going to need this number.

This pretty much sums up probably 80% of the 275 or so students I talked to over the last two days.

Then you have the students who are the opposite.  They either admit that they weren't wise enough to write down the number last time they called and apologize for having to call again.  Or the ones who are very sincere in trying to understand the different log ins and passwords.  Or the ones who are thrilled! when you are able to explain to them what they want to know. 

And every day there is at least one call when I realize that God has put me there for a reason.  There is the one student who, while trying to get logged in tells you, her entire life story.  Everything you never wanted to hear.  And when she finally is able to access her email, or TED, or Blackboard she very fervently thanks you.  She has shared her troubles, perhaps a sick child, perhaps the death of a parent, or a severe automobile accident that required two surgeries and months of physical therapy before she could even think of attending college.  And when you ask if there is anything else you can assist with  she says, no you end the conversation and say 'I'll be praying for you.' you receive a big thanks.