Week 1

I can confidently say, after 1 week (4-day) of work at my new job, that I know everything there is to know about the University of Maryland.

But I would be telling a big fat lie.

I don't even know about my department! I think it will be weeks before I fully understand the nature of my job, but at least, on Monday, I will get schooled in the basics of life at the University. Monday is an all-day new employee orientation class put on by Human Resources. And, oh, boy, do I have questions!

I need to ask about how to get SmartBenefits, since I'm burning 3 dollars a day on transportation! I need to find out how I go about getting an ID card, since it seems obvious by now that it's not going to happen automatically. I would love a campus map and a commuter guide and information on filling out my timesheet and getting paid, and when my health benefits go into effect. And where to find that ice cream I’ve heard about!

I'm not too concerned about my actual job duties. Although to date, I haven't had much to do but clean my office and explore the website, I'm sure things will pick up on their own as the days go by. The biggest challenge that I have encountered thus far is catching the bus. My day is supposed to end at 4:30, and the bus home arrives around 4:35. Which means I'm usually running frantically in my dress shoes to the bus stop that's across the street from campus and down the road a bit. In fact, twice now,  in my mad rush to reach the stop, I've actually passed my bus sitting at a traffic light. You'd think, if I begged, they would let me on before the stop, but I'm afraid to ask because the drivers can be pretty crabby. If I miss the bus, the next one doesn't come for a half an hour, meaning a huge waste of my time and a long wait out in the cold. Note to self: get some running shoes to keep at the office.

Riding the bus has become such a source of stress to me that I actually had a nightmare this morning about being back at high school and missing the bus. Actually I have lots of dreams about high school and the bus for some reason, so it may just be coincidence.