An Introduction

Hi there. Name's Mark.

Call it motivation, or procrastination from readings, (I prefer the latter) this blog is about my life, my odyssey. This blog will be free written, usually containg a general theme, or topic of the current happenings in my life. Sometimes, it will be written from a professional point-of-view, using complete and thorough grammatical style...as much as I have retained anyway. Other times, I may resort to my backwoods raising, and add a few explicatives, conjunctions, slang, and all kinds of shit. It's the nature of the beast. So, with out further delay...

I'm 23 years old, a recent UNCA graduate (GO BULLDOGS!) and a first year grad student at ODU. I'm working on my Masters degree in higher education. I love what I do, and do what I love, even though I'm working my ass off for it. I have an assistantship with the housing office, which is where I got inducted into the world of student affairs.

It all started out with being an RA. Who would've thought two years earlier when I first became an RA that I would soon be embarking upon my first year as a grad student working on a masters degree? Certainly not me. I got a BA in drama. Me? Grad school? What a hell of a joke!

But somehow, I'm here. Somehow, I was chosen. SOMEHOW, I made it a point in my life that I wanted to work with college students, and be a part of their life, whether they knew it or not. That sort of excites me. To know that I can make a difference.

To me, it all comes down to making a difference. It means passing it on. In my first year at UNCA, it was MY RA who reached out to me. Who helped me to adjust to the changing world around me, and who helped me with problems. That meant so much to me, I wanted to get in on the action. I wanted to help others, just like my RA helped me. How little did I know that the step I took in that direction would lead me to a twisting, winding, thrill ride of an adventure known as student affairs.

So here I am, in my own little world, no longer a freshman, no longer an undergrad, but considering myself something I never really do think myself to be: an adult. As much as I hate to deny it, I am one. But hey, I'm still a kid at heart. I still watch cartoons. I still sing and dance in the mirror to my iPod in my underwear. I still act like everyone is watching me when no one really is. I still try and steal attention. (Hey, I was a drama major.)

So there it is, a bit of an introduction. A little bit of me. I'll update this as I can. I consider myself to be a devoted student, which means I'm reading a lot, or doing homework. But if I'm bored, here I'll be, ready to invite you into my life, my odyssey.