Dinner with Anne

by Janet King June 25, 2009 No Comments

Tonight I’m having dinner with Anne Arseneau, Associate Director of Student Activities. While this may sound boring (sorry Anne), I’m actually way excited and I’ll tell you why.

1) Free dinner. I’ve realized recently as I pondered stealing toilet paper from my job’s public restroom that I am poor. Well maybe not so much ‘poor’ but just having certain, specific ways I would like to spend my (limited) resources–unfortunately, my housemates and I have decided toilet paper may not be one of them. Actually, maybe that is poor. Either way, I’ve come to appreciate and shamelessly jump at any chance for free food, especially good food that requires more preparation than three minutes in the microwave. Hence, one reason I am excited to be eating with Anne.

2) Anne is cool. Anne has been my advisor for the past two years for my positions on the Inter-Sorority Council. In addition to biweekly meetings, I’ve been on overnight retreats and to far-away conferences with her. Basically, we have lots of time to bond–and we have.

Some of my favorite nights have been the ones Anne has invited me and my friends over for dinner. There is just something about actually being in someone’s home, someone that you respect, know, and care for, eating at a dining table, and having someone around who is older than 25; all of a sudden you feel home. I’m from Alabama, and while I’m usually dragging my nails when I have to leave William and Mary, I do often miss my parents, my house, even my cat (shoutout to little Shadesey!). Being at Anne’s helps me miss them a little less. I love that I have a parent figure on campus who knows me, who has seen me grow, and is even willing to invite me into her home. I’ve had similar experiences with professors, and I think it just really speaks to the unique community at William and Mary. I know my professors and my faculty care about me, and I don’t know how many of my friends at other schools can say that.

Plus, with this free dinner, maybe now I can splurge a little on that toilet paper.